Page 28 - Mamata Banerjee

Lawlessness prevailing in West Bengal under Mamata's rule: Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday alleged that lawlessness was prevailing in West Bengal under the Mamata Banerjee-led dispensation. He said that despite the state having a woman chief minister, incidents like Sandeshkhali were taking place. "There is lawlessness in West Bengal under the Mamata Banerjee dispensation," Singh said, addressing an election rally here in Murshidabad Lok Sabha constituency in favour of BJP candidate Gouri Shankar Ghosh. He also said that people across the world were ashamed over the allegations of atrocities on women in Sandeshkhali. Some local TMC leaders have been accused of committing sexual atrocities on women as well as grabbing land of villagers, including tribals, at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district. "Goons are ruling the roost here and people are afraid," Singh claimed.

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CBI team visits Sandeshkhali to probe alleged crimes against women

A 10-member team of the CBI on Saturday visited Sandeshkhali in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district to probe alleged crimes against women and land-grabbing, an official said. One part of the team of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) visited houses of the victims in Sundarikhali area of Sandeshkhali and spoke to them individually, documenting their allegations, he said. Another part of the team visited Sandeshkhali Police Station and spoke with local policemen regarding the investigation. "We are in Sandeshkhali to speak to villagers in connection with crimes against women and land-grabbing. We are noting down their allegations," the official told PTI. The Calcutta High Court last week ordered a CBI investigation into allegations of crimes against women and land-grabbing in Sandeshkhali, which had witnessed protests over the issues. The court directed the CBI to investigate the allegations and submit a comprehensive report to it. Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials

LS polls: High turnout in first phase in Bengal raises hope for BJP, TMC

Both ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP hoped that the high turnout of 77 per cent recorded in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in three constituencies in northern West Bengal will be in their favour. While the TMC exuded confidence that despite the BJP "terrorising" its activists, it will win by massive margins, the saffron party said that the "strong arm tactics" of the ruling party in the state failed under watchful eyes of central forces people "ignored intimidation and threats of TMC leaders". Trinamool Congress leader Ritabrata Banerjee said, "A large number of women voted in the three seats of north Bengal. This shows people, particularly women, have not been misled by the false propaganda of Prime Minister Narendra Modi." He alleged that the BJP did not find polling agents in all booths in Alipurduars. BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said "strongarm tactics" of TMC leaders have been countered by ordinary people, including women. "The high voting percenta

Lok Sabha elections 2024: First phase of voting in West Bengal begins

Polling in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal's Cooch Behar, Alipurduars and Jalpaiguri seats began on Friday, an Election Commission official said. Voting began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm, the official said, adding 56.26 lakh electors are eligible to exercise their franchise. A total of 37 candidates, including Union minister and BJP leader Nisith Pramanik, are in the fray in the three constituencies. Voting is taking place at 5,814 polling stations, of which 2,043 are in Cooch Behar, 1,904 in Jalpaiguri and 1,867 in Alipurduars. All three seats are reserved, with Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri for SCs and Alipurduars for STs. The poll body has declared 746 polling stations as sensitive, including 391 in Jalpaiguri, 196 in Cooch Behar and 159 in Alipurduars. The EC has deployed 112 companies of central forces (one company comprises 100 personnel) and 4,500 state police personnel in Cooch Behar, which is more than the other two constituencies that have rem

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BJP instigated violence during Ram Navami celebrations in WB, says Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday alleged that the BJP instigated violence during Ram Navami celebrations in the state. She claimed that the violence in Murshidabad district was "pre-planned" and accused the saffron party of orchestrating it ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. A blast happened near a procession in Murshidabad's Shaktipur area on Wednesday, injuring a woman, police said. "Everything was pre-planned. The DIG of Murshidabad was removed a day ahead of Ram Navami so that you (the BJP) can carry out violence," she said at an election rally in the Raiganj Lok Sabha constituency. The chief minister also claimed that goons associated with the BJP roughed up police personnel in the district. The BJP, meanwhile, alleged that stones were pelted at a Ram Navami procession in Rejinagar area of the district.

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Mamata Banerjee promised to revoke the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and halt the National Register of Citizens

Will scrap NRC, CAA if 'INDIA' bloc voted to power: Mamata Banerjee

Alleging that the BJP has made the entire country a "detention camp", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said the CAA and NRC will be scrapped if opposition bloc INDIA forms government at the Centre. Addressing an election rally here in support of four TMC candidates in Assam, she alleged that there will be "no democracy and elections if Prime Minister Narendra Modi returns to power" for the third consecutive term. "They (BJP) made the entire country a detention camp... I have never seen such a dangerous election in my life," Banerjee said. She asserted that her party TMC loves all religions and does not want people to be divided on religious lines. "If the INDIA bloc wins, there will not be the National Register of Citizens (NRC), Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and Uniform Civil Code. We will repeal all discriminatory laws," Banerjee said at the rally. She appealed to people to vote for all four Trinamool Congress candidates in Assam in the Lok Sabha polls a

Bengal police on 'high alert' ahead of Ram Navami processions today

The Hindu Jagran Manch is set to organise around 5,000 religious processions at the ward or panchayat level in all districts of West Bengal

PM should look in mirror first: WB CM on corruption allegations against TMC

Demanding a white paper on the investigations conducted by central teams in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said that PM Narendra Modi who accuses her TMC of corruption should look in the mirror first. Addressing an election rally at Moinaguri in Jalpaiguri district, Banerjee said it was the TMC which is fighting the BJP in the state, while the CPI(M) and Congress were working with it. "BJP had sent 300 central teams to Bengal to investigate the allegations of corruption but they didn't find anything. Now, PM Modi needs to answer the people of Bengal, what happened to the MGNREGA funds? Poor people worked under the scheme but were not paid," she said, demanding a white paper into the investigations. "The PM says TMC is a corrupt party. He should look in the mirror first. His party is filled with dacoits," she added. Banerjee called the BJP an "anti-Bengali party", and alleged that it was "planning to drive out" tribals, Dalits and OBCs in the "garb of NRC".

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Bengal to extend assistance to victims of bus accident in Odisha: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday expressed grief over the bus accident in neighbouring Odisha and said her government would provide assistance to those affected in the mishap. She announced that compensation would be paid to the next of kin of those, originating from West Bengal, killed in the accident and injured people as per rules. The CM also said that the state administration is sending officials, materials, and ambulances to the accident site in Odisha for assistance. Sad to know about the death and injuries of several passengers in a tragic bus accident in Jajpur district of Odisha last night, Banerjee posted on X. At least five people, including a woman, died and around 35 others were injured after a bus fell from a bridge in Odisha's Jajpur district on Monday evening. West Bengal administration has been on rescue and assistance mode from the very beginning. The bus was bound for our state and some of the dead and many of the injured have been ...

Mamata criticises EC over 'favouring' BJP; threatens to go on hunger strike

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Monday criticised the Election Commission for "favouring" the BJP and threatened to go on a hunger strike outside the Commission if there is a single riot in the state. While addressing a rally at Alipurduar, Banerjee accused the Election Commission of removing the Deputy Inspector General of Police of Murshidabad at the behest of the BJP. "Even today, just based on BJP's instructions, the DIG of Murshidabad was changed. Now, if there are riots in Murshidabad and Malda, the responsibility will lie with the Election Commission. The BJP wanted to change the police officers to trigger riots and violence. If there is even one riot, the ECI will be responsible as they are looking after law and order here," she said. The TMC supremo said she would conduct a hunger strike outside the EC office for 55 days if needed. "If I can fast for farmers for 26 days (during anti-land acquisition protests in Singur), I can go on a hunger strike for 55 days outside you

LS polls: Mamata dares I-T officials to check chopper of BJP leaders

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Monday dared the Income tax officials to check the chopper used by BJP leaders for the election campaign, a day after a row erupted over the TMC's claim of a "raid" by income tax officials targeting a helicopter used by party leader Abhishek Banerjee. Banerjee, while addressing a rally in Cooch Behar, alleged that the BJP is misusing central agencies against the TMC ahead of the elections. "Income Tax officials conducted a raid and searched Abhishek Banerjee's chopper before the trial run but found nothing. Those I-T officials claimed that we had inputs that there was money and gold in the chopper, but they found nothing. We don't engage in such acts. "It is the BJP that is involved in such things. But will the officials of the central agency ever dare to check BJP leaders' choppers," she said. The Trinamool Congress on Sunday said its general secretary Abhishek Banerjee's helicopter was raided by Income Tax officials in Kolkata's Behala flying clu

LS polls: BJP will not even win 200 seats, says Mamata Banerjee

Alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's guarantees are "false", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday claimed that the BJP will not even win 200 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Speaking at an election rally here, the Trinamool Congress supremo accused the BJP of destroying the country's Constitution drafted by B R Ambedkar. "The BJP will not even win 200 seats. What have they done for north Bengal? Do not fall prey to PM Narendra Modi's 'guarantees'. These are nothing but electoral jumla (false)," Banerjee said at the TMC's programme. The BJP-led NDA is aiming at crossing the 400 Lok Sabha seat mark in the upcoming elections. "You (BJP) have destroyed the country's Constitution drafted by Babasaheb Ambedkar," she alleged.

Major fire breaks out in Kolkata, several shanties gutted, none injured

A major fire broke out in Dum Dum area of Kolkata on Saturday morning, gutting several shanties in a slum, officials said. However, no casualties have been reported so far in the incident that took place in Mela Bagan in Dum Dum area. At least eight fire tenders have been pressed into service to douse the blaze, as thick smoke and flames were seen billowing from the shanties, which were predominantly made of plastic and other flammable materials, they said. "Firefighting operations are underway as fire tenders are facing difficulties in accessing the location due to contested alleys but are trying our best to use alternate methods to douse the blaze," a fire department official said. The cause of the blaze, however, is yet to be ascertained. State fire minister Sujit Bose said that robots will be deployed wherever fire tenders are unable to access the spot. CPI (M)'s Dum Dum Lok Sabha seat Sujan Chakraborty reached the spot and appealed to everyone to help the affected people.

Sandeshkhali: Spot instances of 'violation' of human rights, says NHRC

In a spot inquiry into the Sandeshkhali case in West Bengal, the NHRC has flagged "several instances of atrocities", saying it indicates that there was a "violation of human rights" due to "negligence" in the prevention of such incidents. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), in its report, also observed that the "pervasive fear of reprisal, coupled with the power dynamics at play, acted as a formidable barrier", preventing individuals from voicing their grievances. The rights panel has made several recommendations and sought an action taken report (ATR) within eight weeks on each of the recommendations made therein from the government of West Bengal, the NHRC said in a statement on Saturday. "The Commission's spot inquiry has revealed several instances of atrocities inflicted upon the victims, which clearly demonstrate, prima facie, that there was a violation of human rights due to negligence in the prevention of such violation or abatement thereof by the public servant," it

LS polls: BJP spreading canards against Bengal, says Mamata Banerjee

Hitting out at the BJP for alleging that West Bengal has become a safe haven for terrorists, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said the accused in the Bengaluru blast case were arrested because of the state police's prompt action. The arrest of two accused in Bengaluru's Rameshwaram Cafe blast case from West Bengal on Friday triggered a political slugfest in the state with the opposition BJP claiming that the TMC regime had turned the state into a safe haven for terrorists. "Heard one BJP leader saying that Bengal is not safe. The accused were arrested within two hours following a prompt response by police. What about the states where you are in power?" she said at a rally in Cooch Behar. "What about Uttar Pradesh Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Gujarat and Bihar? " she asked. Banerjee blamed the BJP for spreading canards against the state. The TMC supremo accused the saffron party of misusing central agencies and not allowing a "level-playing field for all political parties" in

Mamata Banerjee 'ready to shed blood', says 'no CAA, NRC' at Eid gathering

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Bengal will not accept the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, National Register of Citizens and Uniform Civil Code