Page 47 - Mamata Banerjee

Mamata urges people to uphold democratic ideals of equality, fraternity

The 74th Republic Day was celebrated with pomp and gaiety across West Bengal on Thursday amid tight security, with Governor CV Anand Bose presiding over an hour-long parade by the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, policemen and civilians, including school students. Early in the day, a military helicopter showered rose petals on Red Road, the venue of official programme here, to greet the dignitaries, including Bose and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The governor hoisted the Tricolour on the occasion in the presence of Banerjee and a host of her cabinet colleagues, senior officials of the state and the three wings of the Indian Armed Forces. Extending his greetings to the people of the state on the occasion, Banerjee urged people to take a pledge to protect and uphold democratic ideals of justice, liberty equality and fraternity as enshrined in our Constitution". "Together, we shall strive to build a nation our founding fathers envisioned," she also tweeted. After a gap of two years,

Calcutta HC judge faces TMC's ire for criticizing CM's poetry collection

Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay of Calcutta High Court, who made headlines for his verdicts in the multi-crore teachers' recruitment irregularity scam in West Bengal, has come under fire from the TMC

Renaming of islands in Andamans done to gain popularity: Mamata alleges PM

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday alleged that the renaming of islands in Andaman and Nicobar was done to merely gain popularity since Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had himself named the islands as Shahid' and Swaraj' Dweep when he had visited the archipelago in 1943. She also accused the Centre of scrapping the Planning Commission envisaged by the legendary freedom fighter. Notably, Neil and Havelock islands in Andamans were, in 2018, renamed as Shahid' Dweep and 'Swaraj' Dweep by the Centre. Ross Island was also rechristened as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Dweep to honour the freedom fighter. Banerjee's reaction came hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi named 21 islands of the Union Territory after Param Vir Chakra awardees on the occasion of Bose's 126th birth anniversary. "Today only to gain popularity, some are claiming to have given names of Andaman islands Shahid and Swaraj Dweep, but these islands were given such names by Bose when he had gone there to ..

TMC will not join CPM-Cong alliance in Tripura, Mamata to visit on Feb 6

The Trinamool Congress will not join the CPI(M)-Congress alliance in the ensuing Tripura Assembly election, a senior party leader said on Sunday. Tripura Trinamool Congress president Pijush Kanti Biswas said TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister will arrive in Tripura on February 6 to campaign for party candidates. "The TMC is not going to forge any electoral understanding with the CPI(M)-Congress combine in the ensuing Tripura Assembly elections because many Congress leaders and workers who had suffered during Communist regime will not vote for their own party", said Biwas. "Our assessment is that the CPI(M)-Congress initiative will face the similar fate what had happened in West Bengal Assembly election in 2021, that's why we will keep our distance from it", he said. Biswas said "Trinamool Congress will contest the election in the seats where the party has a chance to win and TMC's doors are open for other parties for electoral understanding." He said Trinamool Congress sup

Why arrangements not made earlier?: Mamata attacks Centre on Joshimath

Criticising the Centre for allegedly not making arrangements earlier in landslide-hit Joshimath in Uttarakhand, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said the govt should work on a war footing

Centre seeks to interfere in functioning of courts, alleges Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee objected to the Centre's proposal for the inclusion of govt nominees in the collegium system on appointments to the higher judiciary

TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee to visit poll-bound Meghalaya on Jan 18

The West Bengal chief minister will hold a public meeting at Mendipathar in Meghalaya's North Garo Hills district on Wednesday

Legal crisis erupts in Bengal over slander campaign against HC judge

In 2003, late Justice Amitava Lala of Calcutta High Court, made an observation within the court that rallies on the streets of Kolkata should be banned on working days

West Bengal gave $1.5 bn only to women: Mamata Banerjee at G20 meet

Banerjee pointed out how the state GDP had grown manifold during the tenure of her government and about 12 million jobs have been created

Bengal believes in giving development a humane face: Mamata at G20

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday attended the G20 meeting in Kolkata, where delegates from member countries have assembled for a three-day session, and said her government believes in giving development a humane face. Banerjee, during her speech, also said that the state government has created 12 million jobs, and increased Bengal's GDP manifold. She pointed out that people in the state have remained united notwithstanding the differences in religion, caste and languages. The CM also said that development took place in Bengal as "we empowered women, farmers, MSMEs". "We launched the 'government at your doorstep' (Duare Sarkar) programme to ensure that people get the benefits of our development initiatives. The programme won a national award," Banerjee said here at the first 'Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion' meeting of the G20.

Financial inclusion, remittance cost focus areas in G20 meeting

In Kolkata, apart from the plenary meetings, there would be a symposium that would see participation of 12 international speakers

Centre should disburse funds for MGNREGS: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

In the backdrop of two central teams visiting West Bengal for a field inspection of PM Awas Yojona-Gramin (PMAY-G) houses, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday hit out at the BJP-led government at the Centre saying it should stop doing politics and disburse funds for MGNREGS. She visited the Sagar Island in South 24 Parganas district on Wednesday to review the preparations for the coming Gangasagar Mela. "I am here to visit Kapil Muni Ashram and not to do politics. The Centre must stop politics ... Ask it to release the funds for the 100 days' scheme," Banerjee said reacting to the news of the central team's visit. Two central teams of officials from the ministry of rural development have separately visited Purba Medinipur and Malda districts for rapid checking of PMAY-G houses there. In the past month, the state has received funds under the PM Awas Yojana, as well as for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Generation Scheme. Banerjee had a few days ago alleged that ther

Mamata to visit Sagar Island to review preparations for Gangasagar Mela

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will be visiting the Sagar Island in South 24 Parganas district on Wednesday to review the preparations for the Gangasagar Mela, officials said. Lakhs of people gather at Sagar Island from across the country to take a holy dip at the confluence of the sacred Ganga and the Bay of Bengal on the occasion of 'Makar Sankranti'. While 15.5 lakh pilgrims visited Gangasagar Mela last year amid the threat of the coronavirus, the figure could reach as high as 60-70 lakh between January 8 and 16 when the fair would be held this time, an official said. During her two-day visit to the island, Banerjee will be meeting senior officers to review the preparations made for the congregation, the official said. "She will also be inaugurating three new helipads at the island," he said. Before leaving for Kolkata on Thursday, around 120 km away, she will be offering prayers at the Kapil Muni Ashram. Banerjee is also expected to visit the Bharat Sevashram Sangh

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BJP's ideology is to be self-centred, TMC abides by Constitution: Mamata

Mamata hit out at BJP and said that its ideology is to be "self-centred " while her party Trinamool Congress abides by the Constitution

National anthem case: Prosecutor says no sanction needed to against Mamata

The prosecution claimed on Tuesday that no sanction was needed to pursue a criminal case against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for allegedly disrespecting the national anthem as the incident had taken place during a 'political' visit and not an official one. A special court for cases against MPs and MLAs here was hearing a review petition filed by Banerjee against a summons issued against her by a local magistrate's court in connection with the case. Mumbai BJP functionary Vivekanand Gupta filed a complaint before a magistrate's court last year alleging that Banerjee did not stand up when the national anthem was being played at an event during her visit to Mumbai in December 2021. A First Information Report be registered against her under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, he demanded. The Trinamool Congress leader filed a review petition before the special court against the summons issued by the magistrate, arguing that the mandatory sanction to prosecu

Won't bother bereaved PM Modi with state's dues now: West Bengal CM Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said she will not bother Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the state's financial dues in his moment of personal grief as he lost his mother last week. Banerjee on several occasions has written to Modi requesting him to clear the MGNREGA dues of the state government. "I have already written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about this on previous occasions. It's time for his mourning; I won't say anything more now," Banerjee told a press conference here. The Prime Minister's mother, Heeraben Modi, died at a hospital in Ahmedabad on Friday. While speaking at the inaugural function for several railway projects in West Bengal on that day, which the PM attended virtually, Banerjee condoled the passing away of his mother. The Trinamool Congress supremo had also taken to Twitter to offer her condolences to PM Modi.

Mamata launches party outreach programme, lashes out at opponents

West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC Supremo Mamata Banerjee on Monday lashed out at both her opponents in the state BJP and the CPI(M) led Left Front - claiming the ideological opposites, 'Ram-Baam' (BJP-Left), had allied covertly. Launching her party's new outreach programme titled Didir Suraksha Kavach (Didi's Protective Shield)', Banerjee said, Even if one weed attacks our paddy, the whole crop could be ruined, while cautioning her workers to root out corruption ahead of Panchayat polls to be held in the next few months. Around 3.5 lakh Trinamool Congress workers will reach out to the around 10 crore people of the state to check if they are benefitted from government projects, she said. Banerjee said a proper vigilance system at the party level will be put in place to weed out rotten elements. Her party functionaries have been facing a series of corruption charges and two prominent leaders have been arrested in the year gone by. "A proper vigilance system will be put in place to

Sloganeering angers Mamata, refuses to sit on dais at Railway function

Sloganeering at Howrah Station on Friday snowballed into a major controversy as a visibly annoyed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee refused to get up on the dais from where the Vande Bharat express to New Jalpaiguri was flagged off. Banerjee seemed upset by the loud sloganeering of 'Jai Shri Ram' by BJP workers present at the railway station. Attempts by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Governor C V Ananda Bose to pacify her did not bear fruit, as the chief minister chose to sit on a chair below the dais along with the audience. Banerjee greeted the PM who appeared through a video conferencing link with a short speech from her seat and condoled the death of his mother Hiraben earlier in the day by stating, Your mother is our mother too. The Vande Bharat Express connecting Howrah and New Jalpaiguri, the gateway to the northeast, as well as several development projects, was virtually inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday. However, the chants stirred up

Mamata asks health officials to form panel, keep tab on Covid situation

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday expressed concern over the surge in COVID-19 cases in China and advised health officials to form a committee of experts to keep an eye on the emerging situation. Banerjee, during a meeting at the state secretariat, enquired why one of the reporters was wearing masks, which has become a rarity in Bengal, and cabinet minister Arup Biswas subsequently informed her that cases were on the rise in China. "Is there a new variant of coronavirus in China? But they (Chinese) have not imposed anything (restriction). I will ask the health department to keep a tab on the situation," the CM said. Turning to Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi, she said, "Set up a team of experts to monitor the situation. The health secretary will be leading the team. Genome sequencing should continue." Earlier in the day, state health officials said that Bengal is ready to tackle fresh spurt in COVID-19 infections. Sample examination is being done regularly in the