Page 33 - Mamata Banerjee

ED raids residences of Bengal minister, TMC leaders; police dispatched

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday searched the residences of West Bengal Fire and Emergency Services Minister Sujit Bose, TMC MLA Tapas Roy, and another TMC leader in connection with the alleged irregularities in civic body recruitments. This was the first ED raid since the assault on its officers during a previous search operation at the residence of a TMC leader at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district in the ration distribution scam last week. In a departure from the previous ED raids, a substantial contingent of central police personnel cordoned off Bose's residence and prevented any gathering of party supporters near it. The central forces were equipped with additional protective gear, including helmets and automatic guns. The central agency's sleuths conducted searches at two residences of Bose in the Lake Town area of North 24 Parganas district, as well as Roy's BB Ganguly Street residence in central Kolkata and Subodh Chakraborty's residence in Birati, North 24

Bengal's garment industry buyers; sellers meet generates Rs 850 cr biz

The 55th Garment Buyers and Sellers Meet of WBGMDA generated an estimated Rs 850 crore in business transactions in wholesale deals, an official said on Friday. Over 900 national and international brands participated in the three-day event of the West Bengal Garment and Manufacturer and Dealers Association (WBGMDA), a statement said. "This industry already boasts one of the largest workforces in the country, with over 50 lakh employees engaged directly or indirectly," said Hari Kishan Rathi, president of WBGMDA. "The Rs 850 crore in business transactions, driven by participation from 900 national and international brands, reinforces the potential of this meet to elevate Bengal's readymade garment industry. We are deeply grateful for the government's continued support for the textile and garment sector, particularly in promoting clothing businesses and marketing opportunities," he said. The association has requested the state government for land for a dedicated showroom hub for garme

CM Mamata Banerjee asks Centre to change West Bengal's name to 'Bangla'

Trinamool Congress government has been pressing for the renaming of West Bengal since 2011. Paschim Banga, Paschim Bango, Bongo, and Bangla were among some of the suggestions

Mamata junks 'One Nation, One Election', stresses on federal nation

"If there is election at one time, it is beneficial for us because we have to work only once. But if a state does not get a majority government, what will be its outcome?" Mamata said

'TMC not to hold meet with Cong alliance panel for seat-sharing in Bengal'

The Trinamool Congress will not send its representatives for any meeting with the Congress' national alliance committee on seat-sharing for the Lok Sabha elections as it has already conveyed its position to the grand old party, TMC sources said on Thursday. The Congress panel has been holding seat-sharing talks with Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) partners from different states. TMC sources said the Congress contacted party leaders for such a meeting and has been conveyed that they are not keen on sending any representative for talks. They said the Trinamool Congress has offered two seats to the Congress -- the ones it won in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. West Bengal has 42 parliamentary constituencies. The Congress has said the offer is too low and difficult to accept. Any change in the offer can only be made by Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, they said. The TMC is also looking at fighting from one seat in Meghal

Ram temple invite: Cong's north, south units divided; BJP hits out

The Kerala unit of the Congress on Thursday said BJP's Lord Ram is a "political creation" and backed the party leadership in declining the invite

Do not agree with 'One Nation, One Election': CM Mamata to Kovind-led panel

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Thursday wrote to the high-level committee on "One Nation, One Election" expressing her disagreement with the concept of simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and assemblies, and said it would be against the basic structure of India's constitutional arrangements. In a letter to the panel secretary, Banerjee said that in 1952, the first general elections were simultaneously conducted for the central and state levels. "There was such simultaneity for some years. But the coevality has since been ruptured...," she said. "I regret that I cannot agree with the concept of 'One Nation, One Election', as framed by you. We disagree with your formulation and proposal," she wrote. She said there are basic conceptual difficulties in agreeing with the committee, and the concept is not clear. The West Bengal chief minister questioned the meaning of 'One Nation' in the context, and said, "While I understand the meaning of one nation in a ...

Do not agree with One Nation, One Election: Mamata to Kovind-led panel

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Thursday wrote to the high-level committee on "One Nation, One Election" expressing her disagreement with the concept of simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and assemblies, and said it would be against the basic structure of India's constitutional arrangements. In a letter to the panel secretary, Banerjee said that in 1952, the first general elections were simultaneously conducted for the central and state levels. "There was such simultaneity for some years. But the coevality has since been ruptured...," she said. "I regret that I cannot agree with the concept of 'One Nation, One Election', as framed by you. We disagree with your formulation and proposal," she wrote. "Non-simultaneous federal and state elections are a basic feature in the Westminster system which should not be altered. To paraphrase, non-simultaneity is part of the basic structure of the Indian Constitutional arrangements," the West Bengal chief minister said. The high-l

Amid seat-sharing dispute, Mamata asserts TMC to stay with INDIA bloc

TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday asserted that it will remain part of the INDIA bloc in the fight against the BJP, days after fissures appeared in the alliance over seat-sharing disagreement between her party and the Congress in West Bengal. Banerjee conveyed her stance during a closed-door organisational meeting of the TMC's West Midnapore district unit. "Our party supremo clearly stated that the TMC would remain in the INDIA bloc in the fight against the BJP. Although critical of the CPI(M), she did not utter a single word against the Congress," said a senior TMC official present in the meeting, who did not wish to be named. The CPI(M), Congress and the TMC collectively constitute the 28-party strong INDIA bloc. However, in West Bengal, the CPI(M) and Congress have allied against the TMC and BJP. Banerjee's statement follows TMC's Lok Sabha Party leader Sudip Bandopadhyay's recent remark that the party has an "open heart" for the Congress regarding seat-sharing in West ..

Pricing to quality: West Bengal GoM to look into tea industry woes

The GoM would also be interacting with stakeholders of the industry to deliberate on the issues facing the industry and where the West Bengal government can help

Bengal Guv seeks report on ration scam probe; summons state officials

West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose has asked senior state government officers including Chief Secretary BP Gopalika to brief him about the ration scam, an official said on Wednesday. Besides, Gopalika, Home Secretary Nandini Chakraborty and DGP Rajiv Kumar have been called by the Governor for the meeting. "The governor has asked the chief secretary, home secretary and DGP to brief him about the proceedings on the ration scam. He will also ask them to give them details about the development in arresting the accused TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh," he told PTI. The ED director on Tuesday met the governor. "The meeting lasted for nearly 40 minutes and the ED chief briefed the governor," he said. An ED team was attacked on Friday when they went to TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh's house in Sandeshkhali to conduct a raid in connection with alleged irregularities in the ration scam. The ED has already lodged a complaint at the Nazat police station in connection with the assault. The family

Music maestro Ustad Rashid Khan dies at 55 in Kolkata, was battling cancer

Music maestro Ustad Rashid Khan, who has been undergoing treatment at a Kolkata-based hospital for prostate cancer, died at a city hospital this afternoon, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said. He was 55. "We tried our best but failed. He passed away at around 3:45 PM," an official of the private hospital where Khan was admitted said. The chief minister who visited the hospital said, "This is a great loss for the entire country and the entire music fraternity. I am in a lot of pain as I still can't believe that Rashid Khan is no more.

Mamata Banerjee cites this reason for turning down Ram Temple event invite

Mamata Banerjee said that she won't allow religious discrimination and does not support festivities that "exclude others", referring to the Ram Temple inauguration event, scheduled for January 22

Attack on ED officers explosion of public grievance, says Bengal minister

West Bengal minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay on Tuesday courted controversy with his comments that the recent attack on ED officers during a raid in North 24 Parganas was a result of explosion of public grievance. Chattopadhyay, the state's agriculture minister, also claimed that such attacks will take place in other parts of the country, too, where probe agencies conduct raids. We have seen the explosion of public grievance at one place in the state Such incidents will happen at other places in India as well in future, he said at a programme. Three ED officers were injured and several of their vehicles vandalised, as hundreds of supporters of TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh attacked them on January 5, when the team went to conduct a raid at his house in Sandeshkhali in connection with alleged irregularities in the state's ration system. Chattopadhyay also claimed that the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has unearthed scams worth several crores of rupees in the present BJP-led regi

Those questioning law and order situation trying to malign Bengal: Mamata

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said that those questioning West Bengal's law and order situation in the backdrop of the attack on Enforcement Department (ED) officers were trying to malign the state. Banerjee asserted that Kolkata has been adjudged the country's safest city for years as per the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). "I am not bothered about criticisms against me. But, I will protest if anyone tries to malign the state. Those questioning the law and order situation are trying to malign the state," she said, addressing the 'Students' Week' programme here. Three ED officers were injured and several of their vehicles vandalised as hundreds of supporters of TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh attacked them on Friday. The attack happened when the ED team went to Sheikh's house in Sandeshkhali for a raid in connection with alleged irregularities in the state's ration system.

Police complaint against Amit Malviya for social media post on Bengal CM

Senior TMC leader Chandrima Bhattacharya has filed a police complaint against BJP leader Amit Malviya for allegedly making defamatory remarks against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Bhattacharya's complaint was in response to Malviya's post on X where he claimed that absconding TMC leader Sahajahan Sheikh, the main accused in the assault case on Enforcement Directorate sleuths, has managed to escape the clutches of law enforcement agencies because of "patronage of Mamata Banerjee." "Shahjahan, who claimed to be a don of Sandeshkhali, is absconding. This would not have been possible without the patronage of Mamata Banerjee, who is also the Home Minister of West Bengal," read a portion of Malviya's post on X. "We have filed a complaint and urged the police to take immediate action against Malviya for his defamatory remarks against the chief minister," Bhattacharya, also a state minister, told reporters on Sunday. Meanwhile, the West Bengal BJP criticised the TMC for tryin

Bengal's role to be crucial in growth; Modi's support to increase: Goyal

Union minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday highlighted the contribution of West Bengal in the upcoming phase of growth as India moves towards becoming a developed nation. He also predicted that the support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi will increase in the next polls. "In the last election, Bengal provided substantial support. Now, with greater backing, we believe that Bengal aspires to foster rapid growth for India and exercise control over inflation," Goyal pointed out at a programme. Over the last 10 years, significant reforms have been implemented transforming a weak economy into one of the top five globally, the union commerce and industry minister said. "Previously, corruption had plagued the nation, eroding confidence and trust," Goyal said. "The GDP, which previously grew at a rate of 4-4.5 per cent, now exceeds 7 per cent, establishing us as the fastest-growing large economy worldwide. International agencies predict that in the coming years, India will become the 3rd larg

'Open heart' for Cong, but ready to go solo in Bengal if needed: TMC

The Trinamool Congress on Saturday said it has an "open heart" for the Congress regarding seat-sharing in West Bengal for the Lok Sabha elections, but it was also prepared to go solo if the talks fail. Speaking to PTI, TMC's leader in Lok Sabha Sudip Bandopadhyay said what local Congress leaders are thinking about the sharing of seats is immaterial as the final decision will be taken by the top brass of the two parties. "Our leader Mamata Banerjee has already said that we have an open heart for the Congress. Now, what they will do is up to them. Whether there will be an in West Bengal will be decided by Sonia Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee. What local Congress leaders think is immaterial," he said. The comment comes two days after state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said his party won't beg for seats from the TMC. Another senior TMC leader, who refused to be named as he is not authorised to speak on the issue, said the party was open to having an alliance in West Bengal but

TMC leader Shankar Adhya arrested by ED in alleged ration scam case

Former Bongaon Municipality Chairman Shankar Adhya was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on Saturday midnight in connection with an alleged ration scam case

ED team attacked in Bengal, BJP demands NIA probe; Governor summons DGP

The ED sleuths were on their way to raid the homes of some local TMC leaders in connection with the alleged ration distribution scam when they came under attack, reports say