Page 45 - Mamata Banerjee

Mamata Banerjee scared of losing popular support: BJP state President

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) West Bengal President Sukanta Majumdar said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is scared that she would lose people's support

Irregularities in Teachers' recruitment in West Bengal; CBI files fresh FIR

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a fresh FIR into the allegation of irregularities in the recruitment of primary school teachers by the West Bengal Board of Primary Education

TMC, SP to shun Congress, BJP; talk to other regional parties for 2024

Both Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress and Uttar Pradesh's backwards' leader Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi party on Friday said the two parties would stay away from both the Congress and BJP and indicated possible talks with other regional players ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Banerjee met Yadav here at her Kalighat residence for a meeting where the two powerful opposition leaders decided to fight the BJP together , even as the Congress, M.K Stalin-led DMK which rules Tamil Nadu, Nitish Kumar's JD(U) and Laloo Prasad's RJD as well as Leftist parties have come closer to forming a broad opposition front against the BJP. TMC also announced it would hold talks with other regional parties in their bid to take on the BJP in the crucial 2024 elections but at the same time denied that it was planning a third front, separate from the Congress-led front. The first off, the mark in announcing an equidistance from the BJP which rules at the Centre and the Congress which has been ...

Akhilesh slams Centre for misusing central agencies, to meet Mamata today

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday slammed the BJP-led government at the Centre for misusing central agencies to "harass leaders and public representatives of opposition parties", who pose a threat to the saffron camp. Yadav, who is in the city to chair his party's two-day national executive, is scheduled to meet West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Friday evening. "The ED, CBI, and Income Tax are political weapons of the BJP. Here in Bengal, the instances are less. In Uttar Pradesh, several of our (SP) leaders, including MLAs, are in jail in false and fabricated cases," he told reporters after reaching Kolkata airport. "The BJP sends the ED and CBI to harass those opposition parties which threaten it," he said. Samajwadi Party is holding its two-day national executive in Kolkata from March 18 to discuss policies and strategies for the assembly election in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh later this year and the Lok Sabha poll in 2024,

Mamata to visit Odisha this month, meeting with Naveen Patnaik likely

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will be on a two-day visit to Odisha this month when she is likely to call on her counterpart and Biju Janata Dal President Naveen Patnaik

CPI-M MP files affidavit in Cal HC for suo motu proceedings against Mamata

Senior advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya Thursday submitted an affidavit to Calcutta High Court praying for initiation of suo motu contempt proceedings against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her remarks on the dismissal of thousands of teaching and non-teaching staff in state-run and aided schools on petitions before it. Bhattacharya, a Rajya Sabha MP, submitted the affidavit before the division bench of Chief Justice Prakash Srivastava and Justice R Bharadwaj, which said it would look into it. On a suggestion by the court that Bhattacharya can himself file a contempt petition if he wishes to, he told the division bench that a criminal contempt petition requires the consent of the advocate general of the state. He prayed that the chief justice may take suo motu cognisance of the comments of Banerjee and send it to a larger bench for deciding on it. Bhattacharya had moved the HC on Wednesday with an oral prayer seeking suo motu contempt against the chief minister f

West Bengal business meet in Nov, govt plans campaign in multiple states

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS) this year will be held from November 21 to 23, and her government, for its promotion, would undertake vigorous campaigns in cities across the country. Chairing the Industrial Promotional Board meeting at Nabanna Sabhaghar on Wednesday, Banerjee also stated that West Bengal, which has been a logistics hub, is also emerging as a data centre. "We will be holding this year's BGBS from November 21-23. Vigorous campaigns and eight to nine padayatras will be held in different states to promote the event. Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) will organise a meeting in Mumbai, and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) can do so in Chennai," she said. Several senior bureaucrats, ministers and industrialists were present at the meeting, while former finance minister Amit Mitra attended the session virtually. "I will request Amit Mitra to take care of Delhi virtually and the ..

RS member seeks HC's approval to file contempt plea against Bengal CM

Senior advocate of Calcutta High Court and CPI(M)'s Rajya Sabha member Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya has sought the permission of the Calcutta High Court to file a contempt of court petition

DA crisis: Bengal governor has agreed to mediate, claim agitators

West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose has agreed to mediate between the state government and agitating government employees to find out an amicable solution to the ongoing stir and fasting agitation

WBSSC scam: More relatives of TMC leaders in list of terminated staff

Names of close relatives of a number of Trinamool Congress leaders including ministers in West Bengal government have surfaced in the list published by West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC)

Mamata Banerjee urges Centre to allow poppy cultivation in West Bengal

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has urged the Centre to allow poppy cultivation in the state, insisting that delicacies prepared with its seeds are integral to the Bengali cuisine. Banerjee said 'posto' or poppy seeds are costly as it is cultivated only in a few states. "Bengalis love posto'. Why should it be cultivated in only four states? Why not in West Bengal, despite it being on our menu every day?" she said. "Why will we have to purchase posto' from other states at high prices? Why will West Bengal not get permission for its cultivation? I will ask members of the opposition to write to the Centre on it," the CM said on Thursday. The state has been trying to get permission for cultivation of the highly-regulated crop. "We have said that the state will cultivate it in agriculture farms. If we can grow poppy here, we will get them at Rs 100 (per kg), instead of Rs 1,000. At times, we have to take decisions unanimously. Not all poppies are drugs," she claimed. Banerj

TMC to raise risk exposure of LIC and SBI, price rise, in Parl: O'Brien

The TMC will raise in Parliament issues such as LIC and SBI's risk exposure, price rise of essential commodities, unemployment and "misuse" of central agencies during the second phase of the Budget Session, its Rajya Sabha floor leader Derek O'Brien has said. He said West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee and the party's all-India general secretary Abhishek Banerjee decided on the floor strategy in a meeting also attended by the party's floor leaders of the two Houses. Sudip Bandyopadhyay is the TMC's Lok Sabha floor leader. O'Brien said LIC's risk exposure and price rise affect the lives of the common man and their savings and should be highlighted. The Trinamool Congress will also raise the issue of "political vendetta" against non-BJP ruled states in Parliament and also question the Union government on "holding back of funds for schemes such as MNREGA", O'Brien said. He said a consultation with other opposition parties will be held soon before the session ..

Unesco's institute seeks to be associated with Bengal's education system

An institute affiliated with UNESCO has written to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressing its interest in associating with the state's education system, a government official said on Wednesday. Banerjee has directed officials to explore the possible relationship with the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL), and a meeting may be held later this week on the issue between the two sides. "The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning has written to the chief minister expressing interest to be part of the state's education system. Officials have been directed to look into the matter and take necessary initiative," the bureaucrat said. The Hamburg-based UIL is one of UNESCO's key education-related institutes and is the only organisational unit in the UN family that holds a global mandate for lifelong learning. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) wants to be associated with the education system of the state by giving priority

Behead me, but can't do anything to increase dearness allowance: Mamata

She explained the difference in the salary structures of the Central and state governments and claimed that the TMC government is already giving its employees DA of 105 per cent

Cannot give DA on par with Centre even if protestors behead me: Mamata

With a large section of the state government employees sticking to their demand for enhanced dearness allowance on par with that of the Central government, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said that the government will not be able to provide it even if the protestors "behead" her. Speaking at the extended budget session in the Assembly, Banerjee cited the difference in the salary structures of the central and West Bengal governments and claimed that the TMC government in the state is already giving its employees DA of 105 per cent. "How much do you (agitating government staffers) want? How much will satisfy you? Please chop off my head and then hopefully you will be satisfied ... If you do not like me, chop off my head. But you will not get any more from me, she said. Various organisations of state government employees, including the Sangrami Joutha Mancha (united platform for struggle) are agitating for raising the DA on par with the central government ...

World Trade Center to open branch office in Kolkata: CM Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said the World Trade Center' in the US is likely to open a branch office in the metropolis, and an MoU in this regard will be signed. The process for identifying land is already underway, she said. "A delegation from the World Trade Center will come to the city on March 21. An MoU will be signed with the state government based on which the branch office will be set up here, Banerjee told reporters outside the assembly. "This will lead to trade opportunities, not only among states, but with different countries as well. It is a matter of pride that Kolkata has been chosen as the main city in the eastern region for the office, the CM added.

6 children die due to adenovirus; Mamata urges people to wear mask

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said six children have so far died in the state due to adenovirus, and urged people to start using face masks again to combat the menace. Banerjee also said one of her family members has been infected by the virus, but did not elaborate on the development. "So far, 19 people have died due to Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI), and out of them, 13 had comorbidities and six (deaths of children) were due to adenovirus. I urge people to start wearing face masks for the time-being, she said at the state assembly. Do not panic and see a doctor immediately if you are having fever," the CM added. Banerjee also claimed that health services have improved a lot in Bengal compared to the Covid period. Taking a jibe at the opposition for questioning the health infrastructure in the state, she said that during the Left Front rule, no special newborn care units existed, while at present, there are over 2,486 SNCUs at 138 hospitals. The chief .

Delhi excise policy scam case: CBI produces Manish Sisodia before court

The CBI on Saturday produced former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, arrested in a corruption case related to the excise policy, before a court here. There was heavy security presence in and outside the Rouse Avenue Courts premises. The supporters of the Aam Aadmi Party staged a protest outside the premises and raised slogans. The agency produced Sisodia before special judge M K Nagpal on expiry of his five-day CBI custody granted on Monday and is likely to seek his custodial interrogation. The CBI on Sunday evening arrested Sisodia in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped liquor policy for 2021-22.

Cong wins 3, BJP and ally 2; TMC suffers shock defeat in West Bengal

The assembly by-election results on Thursday brought some solace for the Congress as it wrested one seat each from the BJP and the TMC in Maharashtra and West Bengal respectively and retained a seat in Tamil Nadu with DMK's support, while the BJP and its ally AJSU bagged one seat each in the western state and Jharkhand. The ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal suffered a shock defeat in Sagardighi which was won by Congress' Bayron Biswas by 22,986 votes. It is the only seat held by the Congress in the state assembly. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged the Congress and the CPI(M) had entered into an understanding with the BJP to defeat the Trinamool Congress with their "immoral" alliance. Banerjee also said that her party will go it alone in the 2024 elections, "with the support of common people" and the Congress should refrain from calling itself anti-BJP. "For the Sagardighi loss, I do not blame anyone... But, there is an immoral alliance, which we strongly .

Adequate measures being taken for safety: Mamata on adenovirus scare

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday stated that only two adenovirus deaths have been recorded in the state, and assured people that there was nothing to be scared of, as ample measures are being taken by her administration to keep them safe. She also said that infants who died of late were mostly underweight and had several comorbidities. "Of the 12 (recent) cases, two resulted from adenovirus infections. The rest were due to comorbidities. Some had pulmonary hemorrhages, some suffered from weight loss. There is nothing to be afraid of We have readied 5,000 beds and 600 doctors have been tasked with the responsibility of dealing with such cases," Banerjee told reporters. The CM also noted that people are scared, after having endured the impact of COVID-19. "Any child's death is sad. Common cold and flu cases are registered every year during this time of seasonal transition. There is nothing to panic about. Such deaths are happening in every state, not just in ...