Page 22 - Mamata Banerjee

CM Mamata urges all to maintain peace in Bengal after Bangladesh crisis

Amid the ongoing unrest in neighbouring Bangladesh, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday appealed to the people of the state to maintain peace and avoid provocation. Declining to comment on developments in Bangladesh, the chief minister said it is a matter for the Ministry of External Affairs to respond. "I would appeal to all citizens of West Bengal to maintain peace and avoid all forms of provocation," Banerjee told reporters at the West Bengal assembly. "Whatever decision the Centre takes on this issue, we will abide by it," she said. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday resigned and left the country, several news reports said, amid massive protests against her government that claimed more than 106 lives in the last two days.

SC orders Mamata Banerjee-govt to justify OBC status for 77 communities

The Supreme Court has asked the West Bengal government to present verifiable data on the social and economic disadvantages for those in the OBC list, which was cancelled in May

West Bengal floods: Mamata points finger at Jharkhand; Assam CM hits back

Mamata Banerjee raised concerns about the sudden and huge release of water from Tenughat, which has already started flooding Bengal

Concept of passive governor is gone, says WB Governor Ananda Bose

The concept of "passive governor" is gone and while the elected chief minister should be the "front face" of government, the nominated governor should be in the background as a "friend, philosopher and guide" to the elected representatives, West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose said on Sunday. In an interview with PTI, Bose, who was in Delhi to attend the Governors' Conference, said the governor is a custodian of the Constitution, guardian of federalism, and "not a rubber stamp". Bose, who has had frequent run-ins with the Trinamool Congress government in the state, also delved into their strained relations. Without mincing words, he said that he respects Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as an individual and has professional relations with her but the "politician Mamata Banerjee" is not his cup of tea. Talking about the Governors' Conference, Bose called it "transformational" and in line with the vision of the Narendra Modi-led central government. "In keeping with Prime Minister Shri

West Bengal CM slams GST on insurance premiums, urges Centre to reconsider

The decision to impose an 18% tax on insurance policies and premiums has drawn criticism from several Opposition leaders, including Mamata Banerjee

TMC requests govt to withdraw GST on health, medical insurance premiums

Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay on Friday urged the government to withdraw the 18 per cent GST on life and medical insurance premiums. His demand comes amid several opposition leaders supporting senior BJP leader and Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari request to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to withdraw the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on the premiums. Soon after the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, Bandyopadhyay raised the issue, saying taxing insurance premium is "anti-people". The government must withdraw it, the Kolkata Uttar MP said and the demand was backed members of the opposition INDIA bloc parties in the Lower House of Parliament. "The 18 per cent GST charged over life insurance premiums and medical insurance should be withdrawn. This GST is anti-people, it is adversely affecting the people of India," Bandyopadhyay said. "This proposal should be rolled back," he said. MPs from INDIA bloc parties TMC and DMK walked out of the House, alle

Mamata slams govt over series of train accidents post Jharkhand derailment

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday slammed the central government over the series of train accidents and wondered whether there will be no end to Centre's callouseness. In a social media post, Banerjee wondered whether this is governance as the train accidents have become a regular affair. "Another disastrous rail accident! Howrah- Mumbai mail derails in Chakradharpur division in Jharkhand today early morning, multiple deaths and huge number of injuries are the tragic consequences, " She posted on X. "I seriously ask: is this governance? This series of nightmares almost every week, this unending procession of deaths and injuries on railway tracks: for how long shall we tolerate this? Will there be no end to the callousness of Government of India?" she added. Two persons were killed and 20 others injured as at least 18 coaches of the Howrah-Mumbai Mail derailed in Seraikela-Kharsawan district early on Tuesday, officials said. The accident occurred at 3.45 AM near

Treatment of West Bengal CM at NITI Aayog meet unacceptable: Cong

The Congress on Saturday said the treatment meted out to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at a NITI Aayog meeting here was "unacceptable". The opposition party's scathing criticism of the government think tank came after Banerjee walked out of the 9th Governing Council meeting of the NITI Aayog, claiming she was unfairly stopped midway through her speech. The government rejected Banerjee's charges, saying the time allotted to her for speaking at the meeting was over. The Congress alleged the Niti Aayog has functioned as a "drumbeater" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was chairing the meeting, since it was set up 10 years ago. The meeting was boycotted by Congress party chief ministers over alleged discrimination against non-NDA-ruled states in the Union Budget. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "Since it was established ten years ago, NITI Aayog has been an attached office of the PMO and has functioned as a drumbeater for the ...

Not national issue: Puri on CM Banerjee's allegation at NITI Aayog meeting

Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday played down West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's allegation that her mike was turned off when she was speaking at the NITI Aayog meeting in Delhi, stating that it was "not a national issue." Puri was speaking at a press conference here on the Union Budget, organised by the Gujarat BJP. Banerjee walked out of the NITI Aayog meeting claiming that her mike was muted five minutes after she started speaking. She claimed that other chief ministers were allowed to speak much longer. "I was not inside, and don't know how much time was given (for her to speak)," the Union minister told reporters when asked about the row. "But it is also said in Parliament that the mike has been turned off. It so happens that the mike is turned on when speaking. I do not know much about it. I have no idea how long she spoke. But I am certain that this is not a national issue, whether you spoke for 15 minutes or 18 minutes," he said.

BJP hits out at Mamata for walking out of NITI Aayog meet, calls it drama

The opposition BJP in West Bengal criticised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for walking out of the NITI Aayog meeting in New Delhi on Saturday, claiming that it was a "drama" aimed at reaping political dividends. BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya said it was a "weak script" prepared by Banerjee. "She was allowed due time at the NITI Aayog meeting. She did not go to the meeting for the economic benefit of the people of West Bengal but to reap political dividends and stage a drama by walking out," he claimed. "She portrayed herself as an opposition leader and not an administrator," he added. CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya questioned why Banerjee attended the meeting in the first place when chief ministers of other INDIA bloc parties skipped it. "She was aware of the consequences. And her action again gives rise to the theory that she went to Delhi to have some understanding with Narendra Modi. People will realise the pretentiousness of the entire issue," he .

Mamata walks out of NITI Aayog meet, says not given adequate time to speak

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee walked out of a Niti Aayog meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Saturday and claimed that she was unfairly stopped midway in her speech, despite being the sole representative of the opposition. Government sources, however, rejected her claim and said her speaking time was over. Banerjee said her microphone was stopped after five minutes, while other chief ministers were allowed to speak for longer durations. "This is insulting. I will not attend any further meeting," the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo said. "I have come out boycotting the meeting. (Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister) Chandrababu Naidu was given 20 minutes to speak. The chief ministers of Assam, Goa, Chhattisgarh spoke for 10-12 minutes. I was stopped from speaking after just five minutes," she told reporters after coming out of the meeting of chief ministers chaired by Modi. "This is unfair. From the opposition side, only I am representing here. I attended

Mamata Banerjee alleges unfair treatment, walks out of NITI Aayog meeting

The West Bengal chief minister said that despite being the only opposition member participating, she felt it was insulting that she was not allowed to speak longer

NITI Aayog meeting: Vision 2047 to Opposition boycott. All you need to know

The 9th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is facing boycott from several Opposition chief ministers over a 'biased' Union Budget

Scrap NITI Aayog, bring back Planning Commission: Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

In Delhi to attend a NITI Aayog meeting on July 27, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said the public policy think tank brought by the Modi government should be scrapped and the Planning Commission should be brought back. Banerjee, who is set to attend the NITI Aayog meeting even as most INDIA bloc chief ministers have decided to give it a miss, said she felt their voices should be raised on a common platform. "They (BJP) have formed the government but they don't have people's mandate. This is the first time after the BJP came in, since 2014, they have not formed the government as a single party. She said that because of their "compulsions", the BJP-ruled NDA has brought a "politically very biased budget" which "deprives" all opposition states. "I thought it is my duty to raise this voice at least on a common platform though I know the NITI Aayog has no financial powers," she said. "Since the NITI Aayog has been planned, I have not seen a single work being done

India gets formal note from Bangladesh over Mamata Banerjee's "shelter" remarks

Recently, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee commented at a rally on the violent clashes in Bangladesh that was neither received well by the Indian nor the Bangladesh government.

Budget 2024: From Chandrababu Naidu to Mamata Banerjee, here're CMs' views

Bengal has been completely deprived in this Union Budget, WB CM said

TMC leaders slam Budget as one for NDA, not India, says nothing for WB

Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders on Tuesday said the budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Lok Sabha has nothing for West Bengal and called it a budget for the ruling NDA and not for India. "This is a 'kursi bachao budget' (budget to save the chair)," TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee said. "This budget is aimed at saving (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi's position. It is a budget for the NDA, not for India," he said. "Last time they gave so many projects to Odisha. Now they (BJP) have won (the Assembly polls in the state), so there is nothing for Odisha. There is also nothing for Bengal," Banerjee said. TMC's Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale alleged that there is an "open and shameless" discrimination against West Bengal in the budget. "Open and shameless discrimination yet again in this Union Budget. Union Govt excludes only Bengal from flood relief and reconstruction funds," he said in a post on X. "Giving funds to other states while intentionally ignoring and singling

Cal HC restrains Mamata from making defamatory statement against Guv

The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday restrained West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and three others from making any defamatory or incorrect statement against Governor CV Ananda Bose in an interim order till August 14. Bose had moved a defamation suit against Banerjee, two newly-elected TMC MLAs Sayantika Banerjee and Reyat Hossain Sarkar and party leader Kunal Ghosh. He also prayed for an interim order restraining them from making any further comment in connection with alleged incidents at Raj Bhavan. Speaking on an imbroglio over oath-taking of the two new MLAs, Banerjee had made certain comments, over which the governor moved the defamation suit before the high court.

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Trend across India against BJP: TMC chief Mamata on bypoll results

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday claimed that the "trend across India is against the BJP" as shown by the bypoll results. The INDIA bloc parties won 10 assembly seats, while the BJP clinched two and an Independent one, as the votes were counted on Saturday for the by-elections held earlier this week in 13 seats in seven states. Banerjee, the TMC supremo, claimed that the NDA received 46 per cent votes, while INDIA constituents got 51 per cent vote share in the bypolls held in the 13 seats, including four in West Bengal, three in Himachal Pradesh, two in Uttarakhand, and one each in Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Tamil Nadu. Expressing gratitude to people for the TMC's win in all the four seats in West Bengal, Banerjee said the BJP has not fared well in bypolls in other states also, except in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. "The trend across India is against the BJP," she told reporters after arriving at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport her