Page 42 - Mamata Banerjee

BSF trashes Mamata's allegations of scaring voters in border areas

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused the BSF of intimidating voters in bordering areas on behalf of the BJP, prompting a strong denial from the border-guarding force, which dubbed the allegation as "far from the truth". Banerjee also asked the police to closely watch its activities while criticising the BSF for "shooting innocent villagers". "I have information that in the run-up to the panchayat election, some BSF officials are visiting the border areas, threatening people and forcing them not to vote. I urge the voters to fearlessly participate in the polls," she said at a rally here. Referring to the alleged shooting of villagers by the BSF last year, whom the border force had claimed as smugglers, the CM said, "Police will lodge FIRs in such cases, and the law will take its own course. They don't have the right to shoot and kill anyone. It seems killing people in Cooch Behar has become a norm. No one is above the law. In a statement, the BSF Guwahati ...

Cal HC sets aside probe order into tampering with rural poll nominations

A division bench of the Calcutta High Court on Monday set aside a single bench direction to the CBI to probe into an allegation of tampering with documents and misrepresenting information provided in nomination papers of two panchayat poll candidates in Howrah district. The court, however, directed the West Bengal police to inquire into the matter under the supervision of a one-man commission of Justice (retd) Debiprosad Dey. The order of the division bench presided by Justice Arijit Banerjee came on an appeal by the state government challenging the direction of the single bench for CBI investigation. The police were directed by the division bench to file a report on the enquiry after three weeks before the single judge, before whom the petition was initially moved. Panchayat elections, however, are scheduled to be held in West Bengal on July 8. Justice Amrita Sinha had on June 21 directed the CBI to probe the allegations by July 5 and to file a report before the court on July 7.

BSF trying to scare voters in bordering areas: CM Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused the BSF of scaring voters in the bordering areas of the state at the behest of the saffron camp and asked the police administration to keep a close watch on their activities. "I have information that in the run up to the panchayat election, some BSF officials are visiting the border areas, threatening voters and forcing them not to vote. I will ask people not to be scared of their tactics and fearlessly participate in the elections," she told an election rally in the bordering district. While referring to the alleged shooting of villagers by the BSF last year, whom the border force claimed as smugglers, Banerjee said, "Police will lodge FIRs in such cases and the law will take its own course." "They don't have the right to shoot and kill anyone. No one is above the law; it seems killing people in Cooch Behar district has become a norm," she said. She asserted "law and order is a state subject" and the Centre has no role i

Trying Oppn unity but Cong, CPI(M) singing different tunes in WB: Mamata

Days after the mega opposition meeting in Patna, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised the role of CPI (M) and Congress, saying despite her efforts to form a grand opposition alliance against the BJP at the Centre, their actions as playing second fiddle to the saffron camp in the state are throwing a spanner in the efforts. Drawing the battle lines, opposition parties on Friday resolved to take on the BJP unitedly in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections at a crucial meeting, even as fissures emerged with the AAP asserting that it would be difficult for it to be part of any such gathering in future till the Congress publicly supports it on the ordinance issues. Over 32 leaders, including Banerjee, of more than a dozen political parties, had attended the meeting hosted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Patna. "We are trying to form a grand alliance (Mahajot) against the BJP at the Centre. But the CPI (M) and Congress are trying to work with the BJP in Bengal. I will brea

BSF trying to scare voters in Bengal's bordering areas: Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused the BSF of scaring voters in the bordering areas of the state at the "behest of the saffron camp" and asked police to keep a close watch on their activities. Addressing a panchayat election rally in the bordering district, Banerjee said, Law and order is a state subject and the Centre has no role in it. I have information that some BSF officials are visiting the border areas, threatening voters and asking them not to vote. I will ask people not to be scared and fearlessly participate in the elections, she said. While referring to the alleged shooting of villagers by the BSF last year, whom the force claimed as smugglers, Banerjee said, Police will lodge FIRs in such cases and the law will take its own course. Asserting that the TMC will defeat the BJP in the July 8 rural polls, Banerjee said, We will then defeat the BJP at the Centre and bring a development-oriented government in the country. Banerjee said the party had

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WB panchayat polls: Mamata to kick-start full-scale campaign on Monday

The election will be held in a single phase on July 8, with vote counting scheduled for July 11

It'll be BJP vs 15 in 2024 LS polls: Oppn parties resolve to stay united

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said he attended the meeting without "memory" of past likes or dislikes and prejudices

All-party Opposition meet ahead of 2024 elections today; all you must know

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar is hosting the crucial meeting in which most of the non-BJP parties are taking part as they plan to take on the BJP in the next year's general election

'All leaders are united to defeat PM Modi,' says JD(U) leader Neeraj Kumar

Meanwhile, Bihar Congress president Dr Akhilesh Prasad Singh said all opposition parties are coming together to defeat the ideology of BJP and RSS

Opposition leaders arrive in Patna for meet, BJP slams mega gathering

On her arrival in Patna, Mamata Banerjee called on Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) patriarch and former Bihar CM Lalu Yadav and his son and state Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav

Opposition parties to meet in Patna tomorrow; check who all are attending

The meeting is being seen as a starting point for the Opposition to come together to take on the Narendra Modi-led BJP

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West Bengal Governer aggrieved by 'deterioration of democracy' in state

The Governor went to Canning in South 24 Parganas district on Saturday evening and interacted with the locals over the violence witnessed for the past few days

I have very good working relationship with govt: Bengal Governor Bose

West Bengal Governor Dr CV Ananda Bose on Saturday said he has an "excellent working relationship" with the Mamata Banerjee government despite "agreements and disagreements." Bose said there have been discussions between him and the state government on sensitive issues, but every time they were held "respecting each other's turf". In an interview with PTI at the Raj Bhavan, Bose said his primary goal is the welfare of West Bengal's people and he never faced any hurdles from the state government. "I have a very good working relationship with the state government. There can be agreements and disagreements. There can also be divergence of interests and priorities. That's what keeps the government going. We discuss sensitive issues but always maintain the Lakshman Rekha' and never try to redraw it," Bose said. The 'Lakshman Rekha', as depicted in the Ramayana, is a line drawn by Lakshman around their dwelling where he was staying with his elder brother Rama and sister-in-law Sita in th

Political slugfest erupts as WB govt moves SC against deployment of forces

Approaching the apex court in this matter is a U-turn from the SEC's earlier stand of abiding by the order of the Calcutta High Court

WB panchayat polls: Govt, SEC to approach SC on central forces deployment

The decision of the state government and the SEC was taken after CM Banerjee at a public rally on Friday afternoon questioned the justification of the deployment of armed forces in the state

Bengal panchayat poll nomination peaceful: Mamata on Oppn's violence claims

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday asserted that the panchayat poll nomination process in Bengal is peaceful, while slamming opposition parties for trying to make an issue out of one or two stray incidents. Banerjee's comments come shortly after Governor C V Ananda Bose said that political violence in the state must come to an end, after visiting Bhangore, where supporters of two parties clashed a day before, leaving three dead. The Governor had said he has already discussed the situation with Banerjee. "There is no other state other than Bengal where the panchayat poll nomination process is so peaceful. The opposition parties - CPI(M), Congress, BJP and the ISF are trying to blame us over one or two incidents during the nomination exercise," the chief minister said. She was addressing the concluding session of the two-month-long Trinamool eh Nabojowar' (New Wave in Trinamool). Hitting out at the Congress for "allying with the BJP and CPI(M)", Banerjee also said

WB CM Mamata blames opposition for violence in panchayat poll nomination

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused the opposition parties of trying to malign the state by orchestrating violence while filing nominations for the panchayat polls. Talking to reporters outside a party office at Maheshtala near here, Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, asserted that those who "were non-performers" have been denied tickets by the party this time. "Opposition parties are trying to create disturbances by orchestrating violence while filing nominations. They are doing it to tarnish the state's image. The CPI(M) is behind today's violence in the Chopra area (in Uttar Dinajpur district), and ISF is attacking our party workers in Bhangore (South 24 Parganas)," she said. Banerjee also slammed the BJP-led central government for stopping the due funds for the state and using central agencies to threaten the TMC. Violence has rocked various parts of Bengal for the last week over the filing of nominations for the panchayat polls.

Bengal panchayat polls: BJP questions justification of all-party meet now

On this point, Malviya has also described the state election commissioner as callous and subservient to the West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee