Page 43 - Mamata Banerjee

Noted historian Ranajit Guha dies at 100 due to old age-related ailments

Noted historian Ranajit Guha has died due to old age-related ailments, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Saturday. Guha, who was 100 years old, died at his residence in Austria on Friday. He left behind his wife Mechthild. Condoling his demise, Banerjee said Guha was instrumental in motivating young historians in pursuing studies on the subaltern society. The CM said Guha had taught in many places across the world and has many disciples and admirers. She offered her deepest condolences to his near and dear ones. Born on May 23, 1923 at Barisal in present-day Bangladesh, Guha's family later shifted to Kolkata. He had studied in a school in the city and completed his post-graduation in History from Calcutta University. Guha retired from the Australian National University in 1988 after being previously associated with other renowned institutions. One of his well-known books is 'Elementary Aspects of Peasant Insurgency in Colonial India'. "The world of knowledge su

Nitish-Mamata meeting: 'Opposition parties need to strategise together'

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar met West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata on Monday as they sought to cobble up a coalition of opposition parties, with the two regional satraps stressing on the need to "prepare together" for the next Lok Sabha polls in 2024. The meeting between the two leaders, which was also attended by Bihar's deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav, was described as "positive". "It was a very positive discussion... Opposition parties need to sit together and strategise," said Kumar after the meeting in state secretariat Nabanna. Banerjee came out of the meeting, stating, "We have to give the message that we are all together." While details of the discussion were scanty with the leaders preferring to speak on the broader consensus, sources said the two sides used the meeting to figure out how they would proceed in sewing together a coalition that would be workable ahead of the elections. "Nothing is being done for India's development, those ruling are only ..

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Am victim of 'conspiracy' hatched by my own party: TMC MLA on CBI raid

"I am a victim of conspiracy hatched by my own party leader from the district Tina Bhowmik Saha and her associates. They have joined hands with BJP in conspiring against me." Saha said

Some are pursuing politics of hate to try divide the country : Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday claimed some people are trying to divide the nation by pursuing politics of hate and said that she is ready to give her life but "will not allow a division of the country". Banerjee, speaking at a congregation for Eid namaz at the city's Red Road, also urged people to unite and ensure that the right-wing BJP party is defeated in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. "Some people are trying to divide the country and practise politics of hate ... I am ready to give my life but will not allow any division of the country," she said. Accusing the saffron camp of trying to change the constitution of the country, Banerjee said "she will not allow implementation of NRC in West Bengal." It has been the TMC's stand tht the National Register of Citizens and the citizen's amendment act which confers citizenship rights on minorities from neighbouring countries was needed and existing citixenship records and acts were sufficient. "I am ready to fight

Suvendu dares Bengal CM to sue him over claims of her seeking Shah's help

West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari dared Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to file a legal suit against him for claiming that she had sought Union Home Minister Amit Shah's intervention

BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari hits out at TMC, demands probe against Mamata

West Bengal Leader of Opposition (LoP) Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday lashed out at the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government and demanded that the central agencies probe the Chief Minister

Mamata demands SC-monitored probe into Malik's comments on Pulwama attack

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday demanded a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satyapal Malik's statement regarding the 2019 Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed. Speaking to reporters at the state secretariat, Banerjee alleged that it was the Centre's fault that India lost so many jawans. "What Satyapal Malik-ji said is scary. He claimed that the central government, for mere polarisation of voters and to create a sense of fake nationalism, ignored the security of CRPF jawans. According to him, the Pulwama attack was an intelligence failure," she said. "We had raised this issue back in 2019 too, but since at that time, it was a matter of nation first, we didn't want to say anything against the government. However, the truth has come out today. The BJP government was in power in 2019, and it was the Centre's fault that we have lost the lives of our jawans," she added. Banerjee demanded a Supreme Court-monito

Amit Shah has no right to say TMC govt won't survive beyond 2025: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday slammed Home Minister Amit Shah for his "undemocratic" and "unconstitutional" remarks that the TMC government won't survive beyond 2025 if the BJP wins 35 seats in the next year's Lok Sabha polls. She also called for his resignation over the comments he had made during a rally on April 14. "On Friday, Amit Shah addressed a rally. That is fine. But how can the Union home minister of the country talk about toppling a democratically elected government of a state? Is the constitution of the country being changed? "He can never make such a comment that if BJP wins 35 Lok Sabha seats, the state government won't complete the full term," Banerjee told reporters here. The Mamata Banerjee government is scheduled to complete its third term in 2026. While addressing a public rally at Suri in Birbhum district, Shah set a target for the BJP to win 35 Lok Sabha seats from West Bengal and said the incumbent Mamata Banerjee government in the sta

Mamata demands Shah's resignation over comments in Birbhum rally last week

Last week, at a rally, Shah had said that if BJP wins in 35 out of 42 seats in the state in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, then the Trinamool Congress government will collapse even before 2025

All educational institutions in Bengal to remain closed next week: CM

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday said all educational institutions in the state will remain closed next week in view of the severe heatwave conditions. Banerjee said children have been complaining of headaches and other health issues after coming back from school in the last few days. "All educational institutions, including schools, colleges, universities will remain closed from Monday till Saturday next week, keeping in mind the severe heatwave conditions. I urge the private educational institutions to do the same during this period, Banerjee told a Bengali news channel. The CM said an official notification in this regard will be issued soon. "I will also request people to avoid coming out in the sun from 12 pm to 4 pm," she said. The West Bengal government had earlier announced preponing the summer vacation in state-run and aided schools by three weeks to May 2, except in the hill areas, due to the sweltering heat. Most places in the state have been record

Shah targets winning 35 seats in Bengal, says TMC won't survive beyond 2025

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday set a target for the BJP to win 35 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal in next year's election and claimed that the Mamata Banerjee government in the state won't survive beyond 2025 if the goal is achieved. Asserting that Narendra Modi would again be the country's prime minister in 2024, Shah said that leaders like Mamata Banerjee can never give a befitting reply to Pakistan or fight militancy in Kashmir. Shah's comments drew sharp reactions from the TMC, which asked how a union minister could "openly threaten to topple an elected government". While the party's virtual number two Abhishek Banerjee, whom Shah had targeted in his speech, chipped in to say in a tweet that he would quit politics if the home minister released the Rs 1.15 lakh crore rightfully due to my state. "Let me make it very clear that in 2024, Narendra Modi will again be the country's Prime Minister. The people of Bengal have given us great responsibility by giving us

Will not beg in front of Centre for clearance of Bengal's dues: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday claimed that the Centre's huge dues to the state will not be released till 2024, but asserted she would not beg in front of the Union government for clearance of the amount. "We have a lot of dues, which are yet to be released by Delhi. I have heard that funds will not be released till 2024. But, despite that I will not beg in front of them. I will try to move forward with the blessings of people," she said. The CM was speaking at the inauguration of the Dhanadhanyo' auditorium, a modern Rs 440-crore indoor facility in the southern part of the city's Alipore area. Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress have been pressing for the immediate release of dues to the state under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and other centrally sponsored projects. She had recently taken part in a two-day demonstration here, demanding the central government release the dues. TMC national general secretary Abhishek

Would rather beg to common people than Centre for funds: Mamata Banerjee

Banerjee said that although recently the Union government has released some funds under different centrally-sponsored projects, the released funds are negligible compared to the requirement

Mamata Banerjee to hold review meeting with all senior officials next week

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called a state administrative review meeting next week at the state secretariat to find out the status of the various state-operated schemes, a senior official said on Wednesday. The meeting assumes significance as the panchayat elections will be held soon in the state. All officers in the rank of joint secretary and above have been asked to be present at the meeting on April 26. The Head of the Departments were asked to submit a brief updated report on the allocation and utilisation of funds to the Chief Minister's Office by April 19, the official said. "The CM will chair the meeting and review the progress of various schemes of the state government," the bureaucrat said. Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi on Wednesday held a meeting with senior officials of various departments and those in the districts and set a deadline of the second week of May to resolve all the complaints received at 'Duare Sarkar' (government at doorstep) and other portal

Kuntal Ghosh files complaint alleging pressure from central agencies

Kuntal Ghosh on Wednesday forwarded the complaint to the Hasting Police Station through the superintendent of Presidency Central Correctional Home in Kolkata

TCS, Reliance, Adani eye Bengal 'Silicon Valley,' state govt moving swiftly

The government hopes that the 250-acre tech hub, located in New Town, Kolkata, will attract an investment of Rs 1 trillion and create 50,000 direct jobs

Fact finding' team in West Bengal to disturb peace, alleges Mamata

Describing the current situation in the violence-hit areas of West Bengal as "peaceful", Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday claimed that a fact finding' team sent by a little-known NGO was visiting the state in a bid to disrupt law and order situation here. Questioning the authority of the team headed by a former Patna High Court judge, Banerjee pointed out that Ram Navami processions organised by BJP had carried arms and driven tractors and deliberately taken routes where Namaz' was being offered. "The situation is absolutely peaceful now. To disrupt peace in the area, the fact finding team has come here. What is the function of this team? What does it do? In every matter, they (the Centre) send the Human Rights Commission, Women's Commission, Child Commission and Media Commission," Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, said. West Bengal has witnessed violence in parts of Hooghly and Howrah districts during Ram Navami rallies. Police did not allow the 'fact-finding'

DA crisis: Calcutta HC directs govt to hold talks with agitating employees

The state government should take some decision to resolve the complications arising of the dearness allowance payments, court said

Mamata greets Rahul in morning and attacks him in evening: Sambit Patra

Accusing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of doublespeak, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra on Monday said the TMC chairperson greets Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the morning and attacks him in the evening. Patra was addressing a press meet at the new state BJP office in Salt Lake. Asked about Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress expressing support to Gandhi against his disqualification from the Lok Sabha, Patra said, "she sends a bouquet to Rahul ji in the morning and greets him. However, in the evening she speaks against Rahul." Reacting to Gandhi's disqualification from Lok Sabha on March 26, Banerjee had said "in PM Modi's New India, Opposition leaders have become the prime target of BJP." "While BJP leaders with criminal antecedents are inducted in the cabinet, opposition leaders are disqualified for their speeches - we have witnessed a new low for our constitutional democracy," she had said in a tweet.