Page 18 - Tmc

PM Modi likely to address women's rally near Sandeshkhali on March 7

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to address a women's rally in Barasat in West Bengal on March 7, amid a political row over allegations of sexual assault of women by members of the state's ruling Trinamool Congress in Sandeshkhali, BJP leaders said on Sunday. The scheduled rally at the headquarters of North 24-Parganas district, where Sandeshkhali is located, will be held a day before International Women's Day, they said. West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar, who was here to attend the party's national convention, said the prime minister is likely to visit Barasat on March 7 to address a women's rally. Majumdar had to be hospitalised with injuries last week as BJP workers clashed with police personnel after being stopped from going to Sandeshkhali. The state BJP president, other party leaders and a central fact-finding team of the party have been stopped by police from visiting the area. Sandeshkhali has been tense with a large number of women in the locality accusing

Another prime accused arrested in Sandeshkhali land grab, sexual abuse case

One of the prime accused in the case of alleged land grab and sexual harassment of women in Sandeshkhali in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district was arrested on Saturday, police said. Local TMC leader Shibaprasad Hazra, who has been named in police complaints along with party colleagues and other two prime accused Shajahan Sheikh and Uttam Sardar, was nabbed from a hideout in Sandeshkhali. He will be produced before a local court on Sunday. "We have arrested Shibaprasad Hazra from Sandeshkhali this evening. He will be produced before the court tomorrow," an officer of Nazat Police Station told PTI. Earlier, police have also arrested Uttam Sardar but Shajahan Sheikh remains absconding. With the fresh arrest, two of the three prime accused have been nabbed. A total of 18 people have been arrested in the case so far. Meanwhile, the police added IPC sections 376D (gangrape) and 307 (attempt to murder) in the case after a survivor recorded her statement under Section 164 of Code o

Oppn stopped from visiting Sandeshkhali, NCSC recommends President's rule

National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) chief said the commission has recommended the imposition of President's rule in West Bengal in its report submitted to President Droupadi Murmu

BJP, Cong teams to visit West Bengal's violence-hit Sandeshkhali today

West Bengal's Sandeshkhali, which has been rocked by protests over alleged atrocities on villagers by TMC leaders, continued to remain tense on Friday even as a BJP central team and a Congress delegation are scheduled to visit the area during the day. The police have been patrolling the area and have put up barricades to stop the visit of political leaders to the area, apprehending that it might worsen the situation. Six BJP MPs, including five women, are scheduled to visit Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district this afternoon and they alleged that the law and order there was "non-existent". BJP president J P Nadda has constituted the six-member committee of party MPs to visit Sandeshkhali where women have been protesting against alleged atrocities by local TMC leaders. Union ministers Pratima Bhoumik, Annapurna Devi, who is the committee's convener, Sunita Duggal, Kavita Patidar, Sangeeta Yadav and Brij Lal, a former Uttar Pradesh DGP, are members of the panel. "We hope the .

TMC MP Mimi Chakraborty resigns from Lok Sabha, says 'politics not for me'

Announcing her resignation from the Lok Sabha, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP, Mimi Chakraborty, on Thursday said "politics is not for me."Mimi Chakraborty said, "Politics is not for me. You have to promote someone here (in politics) if you are helping someone...Besides being a politician, I also work as an actor. I have equal responsibilities. If you join politics, you are criticised whether you work or not. I spoke with Mamata Banerjee regarding the issues I had. I wanted to tell her about my resignation from a party that gave me an opportunity to go ahead. I had also told her in 2022 about my resignation from the post of an MP. She had rejected it at that time. I will complete the further process after whatever she says."She further said that she was facing a lot of hurdles in giving service to her constituency."I have faced several hurdles in serving the people. I have given my resignation two days ago. CM Mamata Banerjee has not accepted my resignation. I have never spoken ill ...

ED summons TMC leader Mahua Moitra for questioning in Fema case next week

The Enforcement Directorate has summoned TMC leader and former Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra for questioning in a FEMA contravention case next week, official sources said Thursday. The 49-year-old politician has been asked to depose on February 19 at the central agency's office in Delhi. Her statement will be recorded under the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) once she deposes, they said. Moitra is being probed by the CBI too and it is conducting a preliminary inquiry into the allegations against Moitra on the reference from the Lokpal. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey had accused Moitra of asking questions in the Lok Sabha to target the Adani Group and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the behest of businessman Darshan Hiranandani in exchange for gifts. He had also accused Moitra of compromising national security for monetary gains. In December, Moitra was expelled from the Lok Sabha over the issue. Moitra has denied any wrongdoing and claimed she was being targeted as

'Cash-for-query' case: Mahua Moitra submits her response to CBI questions

TMC leader and former Lok Sabha member Mahua Moitra has sent her response to a questionnaire by the CBI on allegations of corruption in raising questions in the house, officials said Thursday. The CBI is examining the response after which it will send a report to anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal which had referred the matter to the agency, they said. The agency is conducting a preliminary inquiry into the allegations against Moitra on the reference from the Lokpal. The CBI is also understood to have spoken to lawyer Jai Dehadrai and businessman Darshan Hiranandani in connection with its inquiry, they said. Queries sent by PTI to Moitra remained unanswered and the CBI has also maintained silence on the issue. BJP Lok Sabha MP Nishikant Dubey had accused Moitra of asking questions in Lok Sabha to target the Adani group and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the behest of businessman Darshan Hiranandani in exchange for gifts. He had also accused Moitra of compromising national security

Six-member BJP delegation to visit violence-hit Sandeshkhali in West Bengal

BJP president J P Nadda has constituted a six-member committee of party MPs, five of them being women, who will on Friday visit West Bengal's Sandeshkhali which has been rocked by protests over allegations of sexual assault of women by TMC supporters. Several women in the region have accused the local Trinamool Congress strongman Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters of land-grab and sexually assaulting them under coercion. Shajahan has been absconding after a mob, allegedly affiliated to him, attacked Enforcement Directorate officials who has gone to search his premises in connection with a corruption case. Union ministers Pratima Bhoumik, Annapurna Devi, who is the committee's convener, Sunita Duggal, Kavita Patidar, Sangeeta Yadav and Brij Lal, a former Uttar Pradesh DGP, are part of the committee, a statement from the BJP said. Party sources said they will visit Sandeshkhali on Friday. The party said the incidents of sexual exploitation and violence against women are heart-rendin

Sandeshkhali situation 'highly reprehensible': Bengal Guv in report to MHA

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has submitted a report to the Ministry of Home Affairs, blaming the law enforcers for working hand in glove with "rowdy elements" in Sandeshkhali where women have been protesting against alleged atrocities by the ruling TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his followers, according to Raj Bhavan sources. Bose, who visited the restive area and spoke with the agitators on Monday, said in the report that the local people want constitution of a Special Task Force or Special Investigation Team to probe into their allegations. "I have taken stock of the matter through direct interaction with the victims and by making extensive field visits in Sandeshkhali island. In my considered opinion, the situation there is highly reprehensible," Bose said in the report to the Union Home Ministry. Besides torture and sexual harassment of women when men are away, other allegations heard by the governor include grabbing land for prawn cultivation and coercing villagers to ..

What's happening in Bengal's Sandeshkhali, and how's state govt responding?

Women in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali village have alleged systemic sexual exploitation by Trinamool Congress (TMC) members

Ration scam: TMC leader Shajahan yet to appear before ED officers

Absconding Trinamool Congress leader Shajahan Sheikh is yet to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers on Monday in connection with the third summon issued to him in the multi-crore ration scam, an officer said. ED officers are waiting with a list of questions for the TMC leader at their office in the CGO Complex in Salt Lake, he said. "We have been waiting for Shajahan Sheikh since morning. He is yet to appear before our officers at the CGO Complex. No one on his behalf has appeared before our officers today. We will wait for him till this evening," the ED officer told PTI. The ED issued the summon to the TMC leader for his alleged involvement in the multi-crore ration scam. The ED sources said that if the TMC leader, against whom they have also issued one lookout notice, does not respond to the summons at all, then they might seek legal avenues. On January 24, the ED had sealed Shajahan's residence following a search operation in connection with the scam. On Jan

BJP MLAs suspended from WB Assembly session over Sandeshkhali unrest

The suspension, under Rule 348 of the State Assembly, was meted out by the Speaker following a Privilege Motion brought by Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs of West Bengal

TMC names journalist Sagarika Ghose, Sushmita Dev, two others for RS polls

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Sunday announced the names of journalist Sagarika Ghose, party leader Sushmita Dev and two others for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls from the state. Elections to the five Rajya Sabha seats from West Bengal will be held on February 27. "We are pleased to announce the candidature of @sagarikaghose, @SushmitaDevAITC, @MdNadimulHaque6 and Mamata Bala Thakur for the forthcoming Rajya Sabha elections", the party posted on X. "We extend our heartfelt wishes to them and may they work towards upholding Trinamool's enduring legacy of indomitable spirit and advocacy for the rights of every Indian", it said. While Nadimul Haque, a two-time Rajya Sabha MP, finds himself back in the limelight, the decision not to renominate three sitting MPs Subhasish Chakraborty, Abir Biswas, and Santanu Sen marks a notable shift in the party's strategy. Ghose, a renowned journalist, is yet to officially join the TMC. Former Congress leader Dev, who had joined the TMC in 2021

Govt making mockery of Parliament: Trinamool leader Derek O'Brien

Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien on Thursday accused the government of making a "mockery" of Parliament by extending the ongoing session by one day. He said the government is extending the session by a day, while eight Parliament sessions were in a row cut short. "Hypocrisy of the Narendra Modi government. Make a full mockery of Parliament and then extend last session by one day!" O'Brien said in a post on X. "Between 2020-2022, 8 sessions in a row cut short. Lowest number of sittings ever for a full 5-year Lok Sabha term," he said. "In 8 years, no 267 notice from Opposition allowed for discussion in Rajya Sabha," he said. Rule 267 of the Rajya Sabha rule book allows for suspension of day's business to debate the issue suggested by a Member. The Budget session of Parliament has been extended by a day till February 10, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla announced on Wednesday. The session, which began on January 31, was otherwise slated to end on February 9.

It's not interim Budget, but 'antim' Budget of BJP govt at Centre: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday dubbed the interim budget for 2024-25 as the antim (last) budget of the BJP government at the Centre, indicating that the saffron party will taste defeat in the Lok Sabha polls this year. Banerjee made the remark during a dharna in Kolkata, which began earlier in the day to demand the state's "dues" from the Centre for various social welfare schemes. "It is not an interim budget, but the 'antim' budget, she asserted. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had tabled the interim budget on Thursday. The chief minister also said her government has submitted utilisation certificates regarding the usage of central funds since 2011, when the TMC assumed power in the state for the first time. Why should we take responsibility for what happened before we came to power, during the Left rule?" she said.

Lok Sabha elections: Mamata rebuffs Congress' seat-sharing optimism

The Congress' optimism of clinching a seat-sharing deal with the TMC to resolve the stalemate in the opposition bloc INDIA in West Bengal was spurned as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her intention of uniting regional parties after elections to strategise government formation at the Centre. Despite efforts by the Congress to reconcile with the TMC after a seat-sharing deadlock in West Bengal, its general secretary Jairam Ramesh remained hopeful about reaching a "mutually acceptable" arrangement with the TMC, despite the latter's reluctance to concede seats in the state to the grand old party. Addressing a government programme in Nadia district, Banerjee asserted that while her party was keen on forming an alliance with the Congress for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the state, it was the grand old party that rejected her proposal. "We wanted an alliance, but the Congress did not agree. They have joined forces with the CPI(M) to assist the BJP in the elections... We ar

BJP asks TMC not to stage protests over MGNREGA dues during exam month

Accusing the TMC of misusing central funds allocated for West Bengal, the BJP on Monday said the state's ruling party should not stage protests demanding dues from the Union government in February as it will inconvenience lakhs of students appearing for class 10 and 12 board exams. Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on January 26 gave the Centre a seven-day ultimatum to clear all dues failing which the party would launch a massive protest. Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari told reporters that if the TMC goes ahead with the programme, the BJP will hold counter-sit-ins demanding that the state come up with figures for utilisation of central allocations under various schemes. "Please think about lakhs of children who will appear for their class 10 and 12 board exams in February. You don't have the right. If you still go ahead with the dharna, BJP will launch counter-agitations," Adhikari said. Cass 10 and 12 exams of various boards including those of West Bengal wi

Will start massive protest if dues not cleared by Centre in 7 days: Mamata

West Bengal CM and Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee on Friday gave the Centre a seven-day ultimatum to clear all dues to the state failing which the party would launch a massive protest. Banerjee made these remarks during a programme at Raj Bhavan to celebrate the 75th Republic Day. Banerjee said, "If the central government does not clear the funds, then we (TMC) will initiate a massive protest." According to West Bengal government's figures, the Centre owes the state Rs 9,330 crore under the PMAY, Rs 6,900 crore under MGNREGA, Rs 830 crore under National Health Mission, Rs 770 crore under PM Gram Sadak Yojna, Rs 350 crore under the Swachh Bharat Mission, Rs 175 crore for mid Day Meals, as well as money under other schemes. Banerjee had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 20, and discussed the issue of pending central funds. After the meeting, she said Modi proposed that officials from state and Centre can sit together and clear the issues. Earlier this week, a team of st

Taking along smaller parties Congress' responsibility: SP chief Akhilesh

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Friday said that the Congress has a "big responsibility" of taking along smaller parties. When asked about West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee's decision to go solo in the Lok Sabha elections, the former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh said, "Mamata Banerjee has said to fight (alone) so Congress should persuade her. It is the big responsibility of Congress to take along smaller parties." The SP, Congress and TMC along with various opposition parties across the country are members of the INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) bloc. On the question of the possibility of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar joining the NDA, Yadav said, "There are no rumours and we hope that Nitish ji will not join the NDA. He will strengthen the INDIA bloc." Talking about alliance in Uttar Pradesh, he said that a "very good alliance is being made. The alliance is not of seats, but of victory." When asked how many seats th

Nyay Yatra being denied permission for rallies in West Bengal: Congress

West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Friday said his party was facing problems in getting permission for organising some public meetings as part of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in West Bengal. Speaking to reporters in Siliguri, Chowdhury said the party wanted to organise public meetings in certain places, but due to school examinations, the permission was not granted. "In some places, we are facing roadblocks as we are not getting permission to organise public meetings, citing exams. The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra has faced problems in the Northeast, including Assam, and now it is facing problems in TMC-ruled West Bengal as well," he said. Speaking on the issue on Thursday night, Chowdhury had said that they thought they would get "relaxations" in some places in West Bengal for the public meetings but the administration "is saying that they can't give it". The Rahul Gandhi-led Yatra, which began in Manipur on January 14, entered West Bengal from Assam on Thursday, and