Page 2 - Bengal

HC asks Centre to place litigation papers about Delhi HC deportations

The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed the Centre to place before it all records regarding litigations before the Delhi HC over the deportation of a few persons found to be illegally residing in the national capital. The court also verbally asked the central government's lawyer to "ascertain" whether there is any truth in the allegation that Bengali-speaking people were being questioned over their nationality in different places in the country after the West Bengal government's counsel raised the issue. However, no order was issued by the court on this matter. A division bench, presided by Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty, took up two habeas corpus petitions, alleging illegal detention of some people from West Bengal. The court directed the Centre to file an affidavit with regard to the petitioners' averment that they were already deported and that the issue was being litigated before the Delhi High Court. A habeas corpus petition is a legal remedy seeking direction to produce

Rains cause landslides on NH-10 connecting Sikkim with Bengal, traffic hit

Several landslides triggered by incessant rains for the last few days occurred along National Highway 10, disrupting traffic movement on the road that connects Sikkim with West Bengal, officials said on Tuesday. Roadblocks have been reported along the 52-km highway stretch, which connects Sevoke in West Bengal with Rangpo in Sikkim, causing inconvenience to travellers, they said. The roadblocks were reported from 29 Mile, Kali Jhora, Seti Jhora, Selfie Dara, Birik Dara, Likhuveer, Melli and Bhalu Khola in West Bengal's Kalimpong district, they said. Officials of the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) said operations related to the clearing of debris and restoration of the road are underway. Heavy machinery has been deployed to clear roadblocks due to multiple landslides, they said. "One-way traffic movement has started in some areas. Traffic jams are inevitable as landslides continue in some areas regularly. The debris will be cleared soon

Smart meters will be normal, consumers to pay bills every 3 months: WB govt

Days after halting the installation of prepaid smart meters in homes across the state, West Bengal Power Minister Arup Biswas on Wednesday said the gadgets already installed would be treated as normal ones, and consumers would have to pay their electricity bills every three months. Biswas claimed that the decision to install the meters for domestic power consumers was a directive from the central government. He thanked Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for suspending the programme after widespread public protests. "The installation of prepaid smart meters for domestic power consumers was forcefully imposed. I would like to thank the Chief Minister for halting the programme," he said. "All the smart meters that have already been installed will now be treated as normal meters, and consumers will have to pay bills once every three months," he added. On Monday, Banerjee halted the installation of the meters in homes after facing stiff resistance and mass protests in several districts ove

PM Modi to address rally in Bengal's Alipurduar today, launch gas project

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit West Bengal on Thursday to lay the foundation stone for a gas distribution project and address a rally in Alipurduar. This will be his first trip to the state after the success of 'Operation Sindoor' earlier this month and a year ahead of the 2026 assembly elections. During the visit, Modi will lay the foundation stone for an Rs 1,010-crore City Gas Distribution (CGD) project in Alipurduar and Cooch Behar districts and later address a public rally in Alipurduar, BJP leaders said. State BJP president and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar told PTI that both the government events and the rally would be held in adjoining areas of the north Bengal districts. "The prime minister will first attend the government programme and then address the public meeting. In the evening, he will leave for Patna," Majumdar said. The visit comes amid heightened political activity in Bengal, with the BJP seeking to regroup ahead of the 2026 polls, and the ruling ...

Jobless teachers' protest outside Bengal Education Dept enters third day

School teachers, who lost their jobs following a Supreme Court order last month, continued their demonstration outside the West Bengal Education department headquarters in Salt Lake, for the third day on Saturday. Around 1,000 teachers continued their sit-in outside the Bikash Bhavan throughout Friday night-Saturday morning peacefully as police personnel kept watch from a distance. The teachers, who had cleared the 2016 School Service Commission (SSC) examination but lost their jobs after a Supreme Court order last month, are demanding that the state government take legal steps to reinstate them in their services. The Supreme Court had invalidated the appointment of 25,753 teachers and other staff in state-aided schools and termed the entire selection process "vitiated and tainted". Several protesters claimed that many members of the forum continued a sit-in outside the Bikash Bhavan throughout the night. "We have urged thousands of teachers, civil society members and others to ..

West Bengal Guv Ananda Bose discharged from hospital, advised rest

West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose was on Thursday morning discharged from a hospital where he underwent an intervention procedure, officials at the medical establishment said. Bose was discharged from the Kolkata-based private hospital nearly three weeks after he was admitted there on April 22 with shoulder pain. "Bose was admitted to the hospital with a complaint of shoulder pain after his hectic work during his field visit. On detailed examination, he was found to have mild coronary artery disease," the hospital said in a statement. "He (Bose) underwent an intervention procedure. He has been cooperative and responded well to the treatment. He was discharged from the hospital today. Now his oxygen saturation is at 100 per cent, and his blood pressure and blood glucose level are normal," it stated. The West Bengal governor has been advised to slow down his pace of work until the next reassessment, the statement added. On April 21, Bose was rushed to Kolkata's Eastern Command ..

Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti 2025: Is Pochishe Boishakh on May 7 or 8?

Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti is annually marked on the 25th day of Boishakh, the Bengali month in early May. This year, Rabindranath Tagore's 164th birth anniversary will be on May 7, 2025

Pahalgam attack deepens Bengal's identity rift, sparks fresh polarisation

The return of four coffins from Kashmir to Bengal three deceased of the Pahalgam terror attack and one soldier killed in Udhampur has not only stirred grief, but also ignited a volatile mix of religion, politics and emotion deepening polarisation and marking a turning point in the state's identity politics. With the 2026 assembly elections less than a year away, the killings have swiftly taken on a political charge, threatening to become the emotional nucleus around which competing narratives and electoral strategies will revolve. The brutal killing of tourists Bitan Adhikari, Samir Guha and Manish Ranjan Mishra in Kashmir, allegedly after being asked to reveal their religion, has sent shockwaves through the state. The chilling nature of these targeted killings has thrust the politics of religious identity into the spotlight, with the faith of the victims now becoming a potent political tool. As parties scramble to frame the narrative through religion, nationalism and victimhood

Situation peaceful, under control in violence-hit Murshidabad, say police

The situation in violence-hit areas of Murshidabad district, mainly Suti, Samserganj, Dhulian and Jangipur was peaceful and under control on Monday, a senior police officer said. Prohibitory orders under section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) remain in force in the violence-hit pockets where the roads wore a deserted look and shops downed their shutters. The internet remains suspended in the affected areas while security forces are conducting checks on vehicles along the main roads. Three people have died and several others injured in the violence which raged in Suti, Dhulian, Samserganj and Jangipur areas since Friday afternoon but there was no report of any fresh incident from anywhere in the district. A total of 180 people have been arrested in connection with the violence following protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act till Saturday afternoon, he said. "The situation in and around these disturbed areas is peaceful and under control. There is no repor

Mamata Banerjee heckled at Oxford, shows 1990s attack photo in reply. WATCH

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Oxford speech turned chaotic as protesters heckled her. In response, she held up an old injury photo, calling it proof of an attack on her

West Bengal passes bill allowing women to work in bars, amends excise act

One of the major changes introduced is the removal of restrictions on the employment of women in ON-category liquor shops

Internet suspended in parts of Birbhum's Sainthia in Bengal till March 17

The prohibitory order, suspending internet and call services, cited concerns over the potential spreading of "rumours for unlawful activities"

Police record West Bengal education minister's statement over JU violence

The police have recorded the statement of West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu in connection with an FIR lodged against him and others in the recent incident of violence at Jadavpur University, a senior officer said. Based on a complaint by Jadavpur University student Indranuj Roy who was injured during the incident on March 1, the FIR was registered against Basu, JU professor and TMC leader Om Prakash Mishra and others. "The minister was asked about the entire incident...how he was attacked and other details. The minister's statement has been recorded," the officer said on Tuesday. Police officers had earlier spoken to Basu's driver, Rehan Molla, and Mishra. The student was injured after the minister's car allegedly grazed past him and others during protests on March 1 on the JU campus. Relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), including the one dealing with someone voluntarily causing hurt, assaulting or criminal force against a woman with the intent to

Sourav Ganguly's OTT debut? Buzz grows over his role in Netflix's Khakee 2

While interacting with the media, filmmaker Neeraj Pandey revealed his personal ties to Kolkata. "As far as Sourav is concerned... keep looking," the filmmaker hinted

Bengal LoP Suvendu Adhikari slams CM Mamata on blaming BSF for infiltration

Adhikari accused Banerjee of indulging in 'low-level politics' by blaming the BSF for infiltration, stating that the security forces serve the nation, not the government

Potato supply ban sparks political tensions, price hikes in states

Amid political blame game over Bengal's ban on tuber exports, which led to shortages in Jharkhand and Odisha, Uttar Pradesh farmers are the unlikely winners

WB Guv draws upon grassroots experiences, highlights 'regional imbalances'

Days before completing two years in office, West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose drew upon his grassroots experiences to highlight "regional imbalances" between the state's northern and southern districts and claimed that lack of prosperity in the former region has led to a "disconnect" between the state government and its people. Speaking exclusively to PTI about various issues, Bose refrained from evaluating his constitutional colleague, Mamata Banerjee, but made it clear that he was "more concerned" about her performance as Chief Minister than as a politician. Expressing satisfaction with his tenure in office so far, Bose said, "These two years have taught me many positive things. It is a very refined state, which gives a lot of emphasis on art and culture." "But the state has some problems especially in north Bengal, where there are regional imbalances and a disconnect that arises because of that," he added, while explaining that "economic backwardness" in districts north of the

Bengal braces for cyclonic storm, schools to close from Oct 23-26: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said the state administration was ready to respond to any disaster that could occur due to an impending cyclone and announced that primary and secondary schools in nine districts would remain closed from Wednesday to October 26 as a precautionary measure. She said teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and SDRF have already been deployed and integrated control rooms, at both state and district levels, become functional 24X7. A well-marked low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression on Tuesday as it rolled towards the eastern coast with the likelihood of turning into a severe cyclonic storm, the IMD said. "Our government is ready to face this cyclonic storm. We have already started integrated control rooms at state and district levels and they are working 24X7. As a precautionary measure, fishermen have been asked not to venture into the seas. Public address systems are in place in the ...

ADB commits $241 mn loan to improve power distribution in West Bengal

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD 241.3-million loan to improve electricity distribution in West Bengal in order to help enhance people's quality of life by ensuring reliable and sustainable power supply. "This ADB programme is aligned with the government's Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme, which aims to strengthen the operational efficiency of power distribution companies," ADB Principal Energy Specialist Roka Sanda said in a statement. Reliable and sustainable electricity distribution and service is essential to West Bengal's growth and development, the statement said. The West Bengal Distribution System Strengthening Program will improve electricity distribution for 8.96 million consumers in seven districts in the state, it said. The programme will ensure replacement of low-tension overhead lines with aerial bundled cables, separate electricity feeders for agriculture and non-agriculture users, and an integrated information and operation management system fo

Centre not extending help as north Bengal flood situation worsens: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday described the flood situation in the northern districts as "alarming" and claimed that the state is deprived of central assistance to deal with the natural calamity. Banerjee, who was on her way to north Bengal to inspect the flood situation there, told reporters that her government is dealing with the deluge on a war footing. "North Bengal is reeling under flood. Districts like Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar have been affected. Due to heavy rain in catchment areas of Koshi river, places in Bihar and Malda and Dakshin Dinajpur districts of Bengal will be affected in the near future," she said on her way to Siliguri. Accusing the central government of "not performing its role to help the state fight the calamities", she said, "The Centre did not take up maintenance work of Farakka barrage and its water-bearing capacity has reduced to a great extent despite our repeated reminders to them.