Page 65 - West Bengal

Mahadev App case: ED raids over 15 locations in West Bengal, Mumbai, NCR

A total of nine persons have been arrested by the ED in this case till now

Sheikh Shahjahan will be arrested very soon: Sagarika Ghose on Sandeshkhali

Sagarika Ghose, while speaking to ANI, said that the government is acting in this matter and will continue to do so

Bengal govt begins survey for enumeration of Mahato community: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday announced that her government has started a survey to enumerate the population of the Mahato community amid their long-pending demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Addressing an administrative programme here, she said her government would also write to the Centre seeking recognition of Sarnaism as a separate religion as being demanded by tribals, and asserted that if it is not given, she would start a massive demonstration. Banerjee also said if the Centre does not clear the "dues" of the PM Awas Yojana by April 1, her government will build 11 lakh houses for the beneficiaries under the scheme. "The Mahatos have a long-standing demand to declare them as STs. But, I will tell them that it is not in my hands. So, please do not blame me for it. I would like to inform you that we have started a geographical survey to find the actual percentage of the Mahato population in the state. We have over 6 per cent tribal population in West

TMC depriving poor of central schemes for sake of politics: FM Sitharaman

The politics of denying these benefits to the people of Bengal is a disservice done to them, the finance minister added

West Bengal Madhyamik Exam Date 2025 out, check official notification here

West Bengal Madhyamik Exam date has been released by WBBSE in an official notification. The exams are scheduled to take place from February 12 to 24, 2025

West Bengal starts transfer of MGNREGA dues of around 3 million workers

The West Bengal government has started paying dues of around 30 lakh MGNREGA workers in the state, a senior minister said. The state government started transferring dues amounting to Rs 2,700 crore to the bank accounts of MGNREGA workers on Monday. These dues have been pending from the Centre since March 2022, he said. "A large number of transfers were successfully done yesterday but some were unsuccessful due to technical issues from the bank-end. We hope that the remaining transfers will be completed by today," state Panchayat Minister Pradip Majumdar told PTI. He said around 30 lakh MGNREGA workers will receive the due amounts, with the maximum hailing from South 24 Parganas district. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier this month staged a 48-hour dharna in Kolkata demanding that the Centre release the unpaid dues to the state. She had then announced that her government would transfer the dues to the bank accounts of the MGNREGA workers.

Sandeshkhali unrest: Guv writes to state, seeks Shajahan's immediate arrest

In the backdrop of the Calcutta High Court directing the police to arrest TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh, West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Monday night asked the state government to file a report within 72 hours if they fail to nab the man accused of sexual atrocities and land grab in Sandeshkhali, an official said. The Governor also asked the state to investigate the alleged incident of a child being thrown away by miscreants in Sandeshkhali and submit a report to his office, the official told PTI. "In the light of the decision of the Calcutta High Court, the prime accused in the Sandeshkhali incidents, Shajahan Shiekh, may be arrested immediately, failing which reasons for the same may be reported within 72 hours," Bose wrote to the state government. "The veracity of a reported incident of a child being thrown by miscreants may be looked into and if found to be correct, strict action may be taken and report submitted," Bose's letter read. The high court during the day directed

Flipkart launches fourth grocery fulfilment centre in West Bengal

E-commerce major Flipkart on Monday announced the launch of its fourth grocery fulfilment centre in West Bengal. The fulfilment centre in Malda, around 340 km from Kolkata, is spread over 1.13 lakh square feet with a dispatch capacity of over 1 lakh units per day. It will cater to more than 7,000 orders per day across Berhampore, Malda, Siliguri and the north Bengal belt, and parts of Jharkhand and Bihar, including Bhagalpur, Deoghar, Munger, Purnea, Rampurhat and Saharsa. The company claimed that the centre will generate more than 700 direct and indirect local job opportunities, while providing nationwide market entry for thousands of local sellers, MSMEs, and small-scale farmers in the region. West Bengal Agriculture Minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay welcomed the decision of Flipkart to launch its fourth grocery fulfilment centre. "We are proud to welcome Flipkart's another grocery fulfilment centre in the state and foresee greater participation in the digital commerce space in t

Houses of local TMC leaders ransacked in fresh protests at Sandeshkhali

Fresh protests erupted in parts of trouble-torn Sandeshkhali in West Bengal on Monday as locals ransacked properties of local TMC leaders, accused of tormenting villagers in the region, police said. Armed with sticks, they attacked a few houses in Bermajur area of Sandeshkhali, venting their fury against local TMC panchayat leader Shankar Sardar, a senior officer said. Shankar, an accused of land grabbing, was not at home but his family members were beaten up by the villagers, he said. "The police for years did nothing. That is why we are doing everything to get back our land," a protester said. However, Shankar's family denied the charge. The police later entered the area and tried to pacify the protesters. The fresh protests erupted after a TMC delegation visited the restive Sandeshkhali for the second consecutive day on Sunday and heard the grievances of villagers who have been protesting against alleged atrocities by local leaders of the ruling party. The riverine Sandeshkha

Another TMC leader arrested in Sandeshkhali, FIR lodged against Shajahan

The West Bengal Police arrested TMC leader Ajit Maiti from the trouble-torn Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district on the charges of land grabbing from villagers, an officer said on Monday. Maiti, considered a close aide of absconding TMC strongman Shahjahan Sheikh, was detained on Sunday evening from the residence of a civic volunteer where he had locked himself for over four hours after being chased by villagers, he said. "We have arrested him after getting complaints from villagers regarding land grabbing. We will produce him in the court later in the day," the police officer told PTI. After getting over 70 complaints, the police lodged an FIR against Shajahan Shiekh, he said. Most of the complainants claimed that Shajahan was actively involved in the forcible acquisition of their land and torturing of local women, the police officer said. Angry villagers had attacked Maiti a couple of days back for his alleged ties with Shajahan and his group, accused of land grabbing and

PM to lay foundation stone for redevelopment of 28 stations in 3 states

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Monday lay the foundation stone for redevelopment of 28 stations in the Eastern Railway jurisdiction in West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar under the 'Amrit Bharat Station Scheme', a senior official said. These are among the over 550 railway stations for which the PM will lay the foundation stone for improvement of facilities under the scheme, he said. Of the 28 stations, 17 are in West Bengal, seven in Jharkhand and four in Bihar. As part of the scheme, PM Modi will, through the virtual mode, lay the foundation stone for the redevelopment of 28 stations in the Eastern Railway jurisdiction in West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar, the official said. The redevelopment of the 28 stations will entail an estimated cost of Rs 704 crore, he said. On the occasion, West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose will attend a programme at Bandel station, which will get the single largest chunk of finance with major redevelopment work to transform it into a world-class ..

What will police do if HC ties their hands?: Abhishek on Sandeshkhali issue

Two Trinamool leaders, Uttam Sardar and Shibu Hazra, who are close to Shahjahan, have already been arrested in the incident

BJP will try to give Sandeshkhali issue communal colour, claims Cong chief

West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Saturday alleged that the BJP would try to give the Sandeshkhali issue a communal colour and play divisive politics before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Chowdhury, also the leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha, claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has planned three back-to-back visits to the state as the saffron camp wants to keep the Sandeshkhali issue alive. He charged the ruling Trinamool Congress with being unable to control the situation in Sandeshkhali where local people accused TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters of land grabbing and sexual assault. "The BJP would definitely try to give the (Sandeshkhali) incidents a communal colour. Modi will not let go of this golden opportunity of creating division (among the people). That is why he is coming to West Bengal thrice, thanks to the failure of the state government," Chowdhury told reporters. Modi will be in West Bengal on March 1 and 2 as part of his .

Why aren't women MPs allowed to meet Sandeshkhali victims: BJP leader

Senior BJP leader Vanathi Srinivasan on Saturday wondered if the TMC government in West Bengal is transparent, why are women MPs prevented from meeting victims in Sandeshkhali. The Mahila Morcha national president criticised the state government over allegations of sexual abuse against women in Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district and alleged that "women are not safe at all" under the TMC rule. "Women are not at all safe in West Bengal. If the TMC government is so transparent, why are opposition women MPs prevented from meeting the victims in Sandeshkhali? What are they trying to hide?" she told reporters here. Reacting to allegations that the BJP maintained stoic silence when similar allegations of "atrocities" were levelled in states ruled by the saffron party, she said the party has never shielded anyone involved in such heinous crimes. "The BJP has never shielded anyone whenever such incidents have happened in any state ruled by the party... we have zero tolerance (toward

Land grabbed from Sandeshkhali villagers be returned: DYFI leader Mukherjee

DYFI West Bengal state secretary Minakshi Mukherjee on Saturday demanded that land grabbed from villagers in Sandeshkhali region of North 24 Parganas district be returned immediately. Mukherjee, who reached river-bounded Sandeshkhali using a detour to avoid detection by the administration, was stopped by the police and taken to Sandeshkhali ferry ghat on the banks of River Kalagachi. "We want the administration to immediately take steps to give back agricultural land of the villagers, which were grabbed by TMC leaders Shajahan Sheikh, Shiba Prasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar and were turned into water bodies for fish farming," she said. She claimed that people want the arrest and prosecution of Sheikh, Hazra, Sardar and also some police personnel who allegedly did not pay heed to complaints against these TMC leaders by the affected villagers. "I have been told that I cannot move around since prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC are in force in the area," Mukherjee, the leader of

NHRC visits Sandeshkhali for 2nd day to probe allegations of land-grabbing

An NHRC team visited trouble-torn Sandeshkhali for the second consecutive day on Saturday to investigate into allegations of land-grabbing by some TMC leaders. A CPI(M) delegation led by Minakshi Mukhopadhyay also visited the strife-hit region in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal even as an uneasy calm prevailed with police patrolling the area. Mukhopadhyay, along with party leader Palash Das, visited various households and spoke to the locals. ADG (South Bengal) Supratim Sarkar also made a visit to the area. Meanwhile, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari likened the situation in Sandeshkhali to Nandigram, where a movement against "forcible" land acquisition by the then Left Front government in 2007-08 catapulted the TMC to power in 2011. "The situation in Sandeshkhali is like Nandigram... people have brought serious allegations of land-grabbing, vote-looting, sexual harassment and murder of democracy in the area," he told reporters in Kolkata. Prohibitory orders under Section 14

West Bengal BJP leader held for running sex racket amid Sandeshkhali row

The Mamata Banerjee-led party accused the BJP of 'protecting pimps' and not women

Fresh protests rock trouble-torn Sandeshkhali, DGP rushes to the spot

As fresh protests rocked parts of trouble-torn Sandeshkhali in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on Friday morning, West Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar rushed to the spot and pledged stern action against the culprits. On Friday morning, enraged locals set fire to properties belonging to TMC leaders accused of sexual abuse of women and forcible land grabbing in the area. The houses of local TMC leaders were also ransacked by the mob. Armed with sticks, they set ablaze thatched structures near a fishing yard in Belmajur area of Sandeshkhali, venting their fury against the elusive TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh and his brother Siraj. The torched structure, it was revealed, belonged to Siraj. "The police for years did nothing. That is why we are doing everything to get back our land and honour", a protester said. The police later entered the area and tried to pacify the protesters. In the afternoon, Kumar rushed to the troubled riverine area and spoke to the locals. "You register your .

BJP women delegation stopped from visiting unrest-hit Sandeshkhali

A delegation of BJP women activists was on Friday stopped by the police from visiting restive Sandeshkhali in West Bengal. The BJP team, led by Locket Chatterjee and Agnimitra Paul, both general secretaries of the party's state unit, were stopped by the police, citing prohibitory orders, "We were denied entry to Sandeshkhali by the police citing prohibitory orders. The state government is trying to hide the truth," Paul claimed. A large number of women in Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district had accused 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 had gone to search his premises in connection with a ration scam on January 5.

Sandeshkhali row: ED files fresh case against TMC's Shahjahan Sheikh

Multiple teams of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches at locations linked to TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh