Page 12 - Mamata Banerjee

Bengal home to all, people celebrate every festival together: CM Mamata

Asserting that West Bengal is home to all sections, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday urged the people to live in peace and celebrate every festival together. Inaugurating a number of community Kali Puja pandals across Kolkata, she also urged the people to celebrate with environment-friendly firecrackers. "Bengal is such a place, where nobody will ask you about your caste, or which state you belong to or what is your religion or whether you are vegetarian or non-vegetarian. Nobody will ask whether you like Bengal or not. This is your right," Banerjee said. "We are proud to say that you all are citizens of Bengal. Whenever you are staying here, please consider it as your home state. Do not misunderstand me but consider my views," she added. Among the pandals she inaugurated were Girish Park Kali Puja, Janbazar Sammilito, India Club, Venus Club, and Youth Friends Club Kali Puja, which are located in areas that have significant non-Bengali population. "During festivals, we all

West Bengal extends ban on tobacco-based gutkha, pan masala till Nov 2025

The West Bengal government has extended the ban on manufacturing, storing and selling gutkha and pan masala products containing tobacco or nicotine for another year, starting November 7. The order was issued by the state health department on October 24, citing public health concerns. "The Commissioner of Food Safety of the state is empowered under Section 30 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 to prohibit in the interest of public health, the manufacture, storage, distribution or sale of any article of food in the whole of State, for a period of one year", the order stated.

Peace can be established in Bengal only after infiltration stops: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said peace can be established in West Bengal only when cross-border infiltration from Bangladesh stops. He claimed that illegal immigration from the neighbouring country will be stopped if the BJP comes to power in West Bengal in 2026. Addressing the inauguration of a new passenger terminal building and cargo gate at Petrapole land port along the India-Bangladesh border in Bengal, he slammed the TMC government over the issue of corruption and exhorted the people of the state to bring in political change in 2026. In establishing peace in the region, land ports play an important role. When there is no scope for the legal movement of people across the border, illegal modes of movement arise, which impacts the peace of the country. I urge the people of Bengal to bring in change in 2026, and we will stop infiltration, and peace will come, he said. There can be peace in Bengal only when infiltration stops Land ports play an important role in improv

Cyclone Dana: 216K people moved to relief camps, says CM Mamata Banerjee

Addressing a press conference Chief Minister Mamata said, "Some districtsare affected badly due to cyclone, especially kaccha houses

Mamata urges Bangladesh to release 84 jailed Bengal fishermen after arrests

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said she wants the Bangladesh government to release the 84 fishermen from the state, who were jailed in the neighbouring country for illegally crossing the international border. During an interaction with the journalists at the state secretariat, the Bengal CM said that India has a very good friendship" with the neighbouring country. "Two fishing trawlers have been caught in Bangladesh because they entered their jurisdiction (recently). Thirty-six fishermen were arrested and are now in jail. Even after this incident, three more trawlers with 48 fishermen somehow again crossed the border to reach Bangladesh after which they were also arrested and imprisoned," Banerjee said. The Bengal CM said that the trawlers could have lost their ways or there could be some other reasons. "We have to find out whether they went there mistakenly or due to some other reasons. We are doing whatever can be done legally," she said. Banerjee said tha

Bengal govt forms task force to ensure safety of doctors, health workers

The West Bengal government on Tuesday constituted a state-level task force to ensure safety and security of healthcare professionals in the state and improve the quality of services, a notification said. The task force was set up after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had promised junior doctors of such a measure during a meeting, he said. Chief Secretary Manoj Pant will be the chairperson of the task force, while Home Secretary Nandini Chakraborty, Director General of Police (DGP) Rajeev Kumar, Health Secretary NS Nigam and Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma will be part of it. "In pursuance of the Government of West Bengal's commitment to enhancing the quality of healthcare services across the state, and in the view of the safety, security, and grievances of healthcare professionals, the state government hereby constitutes a state-level task force," an order signed by Pant stated. It mentioned that there would be two representatives from senior and junior resident doctors, one

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 ...

Kolkata's RG Kar Hospital sees 53% drop in patients amid doctor protests

The strike by junior doctors at RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata led to a 53 per cent drop in patient footfall and a 91 per cent decline in major surgeries, severely disrupting hospital services for months

RG Kar case: Junior doctors end hunger strike after meeting with CM Mamata

Agitating junior doctors on Monday evening withdrew their weeks-long hunger strike over the RG Kar incident, hours after a meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The medics also called off their proposed shutdown in the state's health sector from Tuesday till an indefinite period. "In today's meeting (with the CM), we did get the assurance of some directives, but the body language of the state government was not positive... The common people have wholeheartedly supported us. They, as well as the parents of our deceased sister (RG Kar hospital victim), have been requesting us to call off the hunger strike, keeping in mind our deteriorating health. "We are therefore withdrawing our 'fast-unto-death' and also Tuesday's total shutdown in the health sector, but this is not a result of today's meeting but because the request came from the common people and the parents of Abhaya. This does not mean that we are ending the protest. In the coming days, we will conduct it in

Mamata meets Kultuli rape-murder victim's parents, assures quick justice

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday met the parents of a girl who was raped and murdered in Kultuli in South 24 Parganas district and assured them that the culprit would face the strictest punishment, a source said. The parents of the girl were accompanied by Canning's TMC MLA Saokat Mollah during the meeting at state secretariat Nabanna. "The CM assured them of all kinds of assistance and completion of investigation into the rape and murder of their daughter within three months. She assured them that the culprit would get the strictest form of punishment," the source told PTI. Police have so far arrested one person in connection with the incident. On October 5, the body of a class 4 student was recovered from a pond in Kultuli, leading to huge protests as locals torched vehicles, ransacked a police outpost and put up road blockades in the area.

RG Kar: Meeting between CM, junior docs to resolve impasse ends after 2 hrs

The much-awaited meeting between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and agitating junior doctors began at the state secretariat 'Nabanna' on Monday evening to resolve the ongoing impasse arising out of the rape-and-murder of a medic at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in August. Seventeen doctors from various medical colleges in the state joined the meeting chaired by Banerjee. Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, Home Secretary Nandini Chakraborty, Health Secretary NS Nigam, DGP Rajeev Kumar, MSVPs, and principals of the medical colleges in the city were also present at the meeting.

Kolkata RG Kar case: Protesting junior doctors to meet CM Mamata today

The striking doctors said the outcome of the meeting will determine the future of the protest; they demand removal of Health Secretary NS Nigam as a key condition for resolving the situation

Amid CM's appeal to withdraw stir, doctors' hunger strike enters 16th day

Amid West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's request to agitating junior doctors to withdraw their indefinite hunger strike and come for talks, the 'fast-unto-death' of the medics demanding justice for the RG Kar Hospital rape-murder victim entered the 16th day on Sunday. Taking forward the proposal for talks, Chief Secretary Manoj Pant on Saturday evening invited the medics for talks with Banerjee for "45 minutes" from 5 pm on Monday at state secretariat Nabanna, conditional upon the "withdrawal of the hunger strike". However, the protesting doctors refused to end their hunger strike until all their demands were met but agreed to join the talks on Monday. Banerjee on Saturday spoke to the agitating doctors over phone during a visit by Pant and Home Secretary Nandini Chakraborty to the protest site in Kolkata's Esplanade area and urged them to end the hunger strike, stating that most of their demands have been addressed while rejecting their insistence on removing the state ...

Bengal's efforts forced Centre to exempt GST on health premium: CM Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday claimed that the Centre's likely decision to exempt GST on term life insurance premiums and premiums paid by senior citizens for health coverage is the result of sustained efforts by the state government. She said the central government appears to be "under pressure" to cut taxes to benefit the common people. An official stated that term life insurance policies and health insurance premiums for senior citizens are likely to be exempt from GST, as most members of a state ministerial panel favoured tax cuts to benefit the public. The GoM (Group of Ministers), which met on Saturday to decide on GST for health and life insurance premiums, chose to exempt GST on premiums paid by individuals, other than senior citizens, for health insurance coverage up to Rs 5 lakh. However, 18% GST will continue to be levied on health insurance coverage exceeding Rs 5 lakh. "Our sustained efforts appear to be paying dividends the Central government

WB junior doctors demand action, Mamata calls for end to hunger strike

Mamata Banerjee urged protesting doctors to rise above politics and return to work, stating that people are dependent on them and need their services

RG Kar case: Two more doctors join hunger strike as it completes first week

Two more junior doctors have joined six of their colleagues who have been on a fast-unto-death here for the past seven days, demanding justice for the murdered woman medic at RG Kar Hospital, along with other crucial issues. Parichoy Panda from Ramakrishna Mission Seva Pratishthan and Alolika Ghorui from Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital joined the protest on Saturday, taking the total number of medics on indefinite fast across the state to 10, including the two at North Bengal Medical College in Siliguri. Meanwhile, the condition of the fasting doctors have worsened, with fellow medics saying their health parameters are "declining." They have been on hunger strike since October 5. Dr. Debasish Halder, one of the protesting doctors, said, "They are very weak and all their parameters are declining. The presence of creatinine in their urine has increased. Seven days of fasting is definitely taking a toll on their health, but it hasn't weakened their resolve for ...

RG Kar case: WB govt silent, condition of fasting medics deteriorating

Junior doctors in West Bengal continued their indefinite hunger strike for the sixth consecutive day, drawing support from several senior doctors across the country and prompting the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to urge Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to intervene before the situation escalates. The ongoing agitation has also led the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) to warn that it would declare a nationwide "complete shutdown of medical services" if any "any harm befalls brave junior doctors". The agitating doctors are demanding justice for their murdered colleague at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, along with a safer working environment and other important issues. On Friday, IMA national president RV Asokan met the fasting junior doctors to hear their concerns. After visiting another junior medic admitted to RG Kar hospital, he expressed his admiration for the protesters, stating, "I am touched by the way these children are fighting for the cause of the

RK Kar row: IMA writes to CM Mamata on fast unto death by junior docs

Expressing concern over the deteriorating health conditions of the agitating junior doctors, who are on fast unto death, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) wrote to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and sought her immediate intervention. In the letter, IMA president RV Asokan said the West Bengal government was entirely capable of meeting all their demands. "It has been almost a week since the young doctors of Bengal are on fast-unto-death struggle. The IMA supports their just demands. They deserve your immediate attention. The government of West Bengal is entirely capable of meeting all the demands," he said in the letter dated October 10, which was made public on Friday. "Peaceful ambience and security are not a luxury. They are a prerequisite. We appeal to your goodself to settle the issues with the young generation doctors as an elder and the Head of the Government. The entire medical fraternity of India is concerned and trust you would be able to save their lives. If

Bengal doctors' stir: IMA writes to CM Mamata, says security a prerequisite

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Thursday urged West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to resolve the issues of junior doctors who are on a hunger strike in Kolkata, saying a safe working environment is not a luxury but a prerequisite. In a letter to Banerjee, the IMA said it has been almost a week since the young doctors started the hunger strike and they deserve her "immediate attention". The junior doctors of R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata have been protesting against the alleged rape and murder of a colleague on August 9. Their indefinite hunger strike entered the fifth day on Thursday. The IMA said it supports the "just demands" of the protesting doctors. "They deserve your immediate attention," the IMA said in its letter to Banerjee, adding that the West Bengal government is fully capable of fulfilling all demands of the protesters. "Peaceful ambience and security are not a luxury. They are a prerequisite. We appeal to your good self to settle the

Irreparable loss: CMs of eastern states mourn Ratan Tata's demise

Chief ministers of West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha on Wednesday evening condoled the demise of Tata Group's chairman emeritus and veteran industrialist Ratan Tata, and said his legacy will live on forever. The 86-year-old Padma Vibhushan breathed his last at south Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital at 11.30 pm, a top police officer told PTI. He was admitted to the hospital for the past few days. Saddened by the demise of Ratan Tata, Chairman Emeritus of the Tata Sons. The former Chairman of Tata Group had been a foremost leader of Indian industries and a public-spirited philanthropist. His demise will be an irreparable loss for Indian business world and society. My condolences to all his family members and colleagues, Banerjee wrote on X. In 2008, the Tata Group decided to move the Nano factory out of Singur in Bengal's Hooghly district over a land acquisition controversy. Banerjee, whose TMC was in the opposition back then, had spearheaded a movement against the ruling Left Front, .