Page 35 - Tmc

Bengal min's vehicle vandalised as Kurmi protest targets Abhishek's convoy

West Bengal minister Birbaha Hansda's vehicle was vandalised in Paschim Medinipur district on Friday as members of the Kurmi community allegedly hurled stones at senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee's convoy, in which she was travelling, officials said. The incident happened in Salboni where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to attend a party programme on Saturday. Abhishek, a Z-plus protectee, led a roadshow in Jhargram's Binpur and Gopiballavpur as part of his Trinamooley Nabojowar (new wave in Trinamool) campaign. Following the rally, he was travelling through Salboni when members of the Kurmi community, who are protesting demanding ST status, gathered on both sides of the road, a party leader said. As his car moved ahead, they allegedly started throwing stones at the convoy. "The vehicle of Hansda, which was in the convoy, was damaged in the attack," the leader said. A huge police contingent was rushed to the spot to control the situation, officials said. It could not

After TMC, AAP to boycott Parliament inauguration over President's insult

AAP on Tuesday announced that it will boycott the inauguration of new Parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 28 as not inviting President Droupadi Murmu is an insult to her

TMC's Abhishek Banerjee to be summoned by CBI again, BJP predicts

The BJP on Sunday predicted that TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee will be summoned by CBI in the coming days in connection with scams ranging from school jobs to alleged coal and cattle smuggling in West Bengal. Leader of opposition in the assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, told reporters on the sidelines of a state executive meeting that Banerjee might have felt angry for being interrogated for over nine hours by CBI on Saturday but that does not matter. "He seemed to be upset for being questioned by CBI for so many hours. But as the probe into the SSC scam, coal smuggling cases is gaining momentum with more arrests, if he is summoned for such grilling again in the coming days, he should not cry. He has to prove his innocence before the investigators. This is a court-monitored probe," the Nandigram MLA said. Echoing him, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar told reporters, "After the interrogation for nine hours Abhishek Banerjee's body language and reaction indicate that

CBI questions TMC leader Abhishek for 6 hours over school jobs scam

CBI officers questioned TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee, who appeared before them Saturday as part of the agency's probe into the school jobs scam, for more than six hours. Before reaching CBI offices at Nizam Palace here, Banerjee wrote a letter to the CBI informing it of his decision to move the Supreme Court challenging the High Court order which allows investigative agencies CBI and ED to question him. CBI officers are believed to have asked the TMC leader why an accused in the school jobs scam Kuntal Ghosh has alleged that he was being pressured to name him, according to sources. Abhishek is believed to have stated that he he has no knowledge of the reasons behind Ghosh's statement. The TMC leader's name cropped up in a complaint filed by Kuntal Ghosh where he alleged that central investigating agencies were pressuring him to name Abhishek Banerjee in the school scam case. In his letter to the CBI, Abhishek had written, "At the very onset, I state that I am rather shocked to fi

TMC claims no responsibility after SC stays ban on 'The Kerala Story'

After the Supreme Court allowed the screening of The Kerala Story' in West Bengal, the TMC on Thursday said if any issue arises due to the showing of the film, the opposition should not blame the ruling party. The Trinamool Congress maintained that the ban on the screening of the film was imposed apprehending tensions among communities. 'The Kerala Story', starring Adah Sharma, was released in theatre halls on May 5. Directed by Sudipto Sen, the film claims that women from Kerala were forced to convert to Islam and recruited by the terror group Islamic State (IS). Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court stayed the West Bengal government's order prohibiting the screening of 'The Kerala Story'. The apex court also said it is the duty of the state government to maintain law and order as the film has been granted certification by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The TMC said the state government would abide by the court order, but apprehensions of communal tensions among

BJP doesn't understand DNA of northeast: TMC's Sushmita on Manipur

In the wake of large-scale violence in Manipur, Trinamool Congress leader Sushmita Dev has alleged that the BJP does not understand the DNA of the northeast.

BJP questions use of public funds to deploy forces at TMC outreach campaign

The BJP on Monday questioned whether the Trinamool Congress had deposited the requisite amount of money in the state coffers to avail police forces deployed at its ongoing mass outreach campaign. The saffron camp also accused the state's ruling party of misusing state apparatus for its political programme. The allegation drew sharp reactions from the TMC, which dubbed it baseless and wondered who bears the cost of the service of central forces availed by the BJP leaders in the state. The TMC last week started its much-touted mass outreach campaign 'Trinamool ey Nabajowar' (new wave in Trinamool) from Cooch Behar district ahead of the panchayat polls in the state, with party national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee leading it from the front. Banerjee had said he will be travelling more than 3500 km across the state from the Cooch Behar district in the northern part of the state to Kakdwip in the south. BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said the police personnel are being ...

TMC to start dharna in New Delhi over MGNREGA funds for Bengal: Abhishek

The ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal on Saturday said it will soon begin a sit-in demonstration in New Delhi if the Centre fails to provide funds for MGNREGA to the state at the earliest. Addressing a rally at Mainaguri in Jalpaiguri, senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee said he will quit politics if a single irregularity is found in the list of MGNREGA beneficiaries submitted to the Centre. "Over 20 lakh people are sitting at home due to non-implementation of MGNREGA as the Centre is not providing funds. I went to the Union minister concerned in Delhi along with party MPs over the issue but he did not meet," he claimed. Abhishek, the nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, said TMC will launch an indefinite sit-in in Delhi over the issue, and "snatch the rights of the people". Last month, the chief minister sat on a two-day dharna in Kolkata over the Mahatma Gandhiu National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREA) dues. Banerjee claimed that the BJP is demanding a separa

TMC's Abhishek welcomes SC decision on reassigning hearings in school scam

Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee Friday welcomed a Supreme Court direction asking the Acting Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court to reassign the West Bengal school jobs "scam" case. Stating that the matter is sub-judice, Banerjee said that he will not comment further on the order reassigning it from Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay who was till now hearing the matter. The Supreme Court Friday asked the Acting Chief Justice to reassign the West Bengal school jobs "scam" case to another judge after examining a report on Justice Gangopadhyay's interview to a news channel on the matter. "I welcome the direction given by the Hon'ble Supreme Court," Banerjee told reporters at Dhupguri in north Bengal's Jalpaiguri district during a mass outreach programme ahead of the panchayat elections in the state, which are likely to be declared soon. Hearing a plea by Banerjee, a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha took note of the

Won't answer to legal notice from non-existent 'TMC': Suvendu Adhikari

In his reply to the legal notice sent by Trinamool's Rajya Sabha MP Derek O Brien, Adhikari's counsel Suryanil Das has challenged its authenticity

CBI conducts searches at TMC MLA's premises in West Bengal, Karnataka

Documents recovered during searches are being scrutinised

TMC announces new mass outreach campaign ahead of WB panchayat polls

The ruling Trinamool Congress on Thursday announced a new mass outreach programme with an eye on the upcoming panchayat elections in West Bengal. Among other targets, the programme seeks to empower voters to choose candidates, whom the party will give nominations. TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee told a press conference that the campaign, christened 'Trinamooley Nabajowar' (new wave in Trinamool), will start from April 25 and continue for 60 days during which he will cover 3500 kilometres from the northern part of the state to the southern. "This programme will reach out to the masses and empower them to choose candidates for the three-tier panchayat system to build a people's panchayat. There will be a secret ballot system organised by the party, where villagers can provide feedback on who they want as their candidate. The party will nominate that person," he said. Banerjee, considered the number 2 in the TMC, said the programme aims at ushering in a new wave of ..

My father needs medical attention: Mukul Roy's son on talks of BJP return

Mukul Roy needs medical attention, his son Subharanghsu said on Wednesday after the veteran politician from West Bengal expressed his desire to return to the BJP. Speaking to reporters, he said Roy's statement about returning to the BJP should not be taken seriously. "I have heard what my father said. He needs medical attention. He has physical and neurological problems. Those trying to use my father to serve their political interests should be ashamed of themselves," said Subharanghsu, who is a former MLA. "He is extremely unwell and suffers from dementia and Parkinson's disease," he added. Roy, an MLA from Krishnanagar Uttar, switched over to the TMC from the BJP along with his son after the 2021 assembly elections. Known for his electioneering skills, Roy joined the BJP in 2017, and played a key role in the party's 2019 Lok Sabha polls success in West Bengal. Since his return to the TMC, Roy has remained away from the public glare, mainly because of his health issues, which to

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

TMC's Mukul Roy says he is in New Delhi after family's 'untraceable' claim

Senior TMC leader Mukul Roy said he has reached New Delhi for some personal work, hours after his family claimed that he was "untraceable" since late Monday evening. Roy told reporters that he reached the national capital but had no specific agenda. "I have been an MP for several years. Can I not come to Delhi? Earlier, I used to come to Delhi regularly," Roy said. Although Roy has remained tightlipped about the agenda of his visit, the political circles in West Bengal were abuzz with speculations over his next political move. The former railway minister's son Subhragshu Roy lodged a police complaint, mentioning that his father was untraceable. Subhragshu had told PTI that his father was "untraceable" and "missing" since late Monday evening. Roy joined the BJP in 2017 following differences with the TMC leadership. He was made BJP national vice president in 2020. He won the 2021 assembly polls on a BJP ticket and later returned to the TMC just a month after the results were ...

Crowdfunding misuse case: SC grants bail to TMC spokesperson Saket Gokhale

The Supreme Court on Monday granted bail to Trinamool Congress spokesperson Saket Gokhale in a case related to alleged misuse of money collected through crowdfunding. A bench comprising Justices B R Gavai and Vikram Nath, while granting relief to the leader, noted that a charge sheet has already been filed in the case. Gokhale was arrested by the Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch from Delhi on December 30, 2022. He is facing charges under sections 420 (cheating), 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 467 (forgery) of the IPC.

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

TMC MLA Jiban Krishna Saha detained by CBI in school jobs for graft scam

Trinamool Congress MLA Jiban Krishna Saha was on Monday morning taken from his residence at Burwan in Murshidabad district by slueths from the CBI in connection with investigation into the school- jobs-for-graft scam case, an official said. Saha, an MLA from Burwan constituency, was being questioned by CBI officers since April 14 in connection with the case involving alleged illegal recruitments in West Bengal government aided schools. Saha was detained on Monday morning and taken away in a convoy of vehicles with CRPF security by CBI officials, the official said. It was not clear whether a formal arrest has been made. He will be taken to the investigative agency's offices in Kolkata, other officials said. One of two mobile mobile phones belonging to the MLA was fished out of a pond adjacent to his house on Sunday evening in the course of the CBI raid.

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