MP, 4 May 2024, Darjeeling: Luxman Pradhan, veteran politician of the Hills, owing allegiance to the All India Gorkha League (AIGL), passed away on Friday morning in Darjeeling. He was 78 years old.
Though he was suffering from kidney ailment and blood sugar, the condition of his health was not all that bad.
At around 5 am, he woke up and when he got out of bed he became senseless and then passed away, stated family sources.
People from all walks of life paid tribute to the departed leader. Condolences poured in from different political camps.
“I knew him as a Union leader, working relentlessly for the welfare of tea garden workers. He spent his life fighting for their rights. The death of Luxman Pradhan has left a vacuum in the trade union movement in the Hills,” stated Aniit Thapa, Chief Executive, GTA.
Courtesy & source- Millennium Post https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/veteran-leader-luxman-pradhan-passes-away-562420
MP, 4 May 2024, Kolkata: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was pulled up by the Calcutta High Court for applying to the Chief Secretary for sanction to prosecute former ministers and public servants in recruitment scam cases instead of the Governor, who was the correct sanctioning authority.
According to a news agency, the Division Bench of Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Gaurang Kanth called for a report from CBI on whether the appropriate sanctioning authority has been approached and observed that the issue needs to be sorted at the earliest.
On behalf of CBI, it was submitted that the sanction from the Chief Secretary was sought only for the prosecution of school department officials.
The Court reportedly clarified that in the case of Kalyanmoy Ganguly and other former ministers, it needs to be sought from the Governor itself. The matter is scheduled to be heard on May 7.
Mamata On April 23, the Court had warned that if the Chief Secretary failed to act on the Court’s directions then they would be constrained to initiate proceedings against him.
In earlier two occasions as well, the Chief Secretary was asked to make his position clear. The Division Bench was hearing the bail applications of former minister Partha Chatterjee, Subires Bhattacharjee and Kalyanmoy Ganguly, amongst others.
According to the counsel representing them, they have been in custody for about two years and the case could not progress due to the absence of sanction.
MP, 4 May 2024, Kolkata: Candidates who lost their job following the verdict of Calcutta High Court in the 2016 recruitment staged a demonstration outside the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) office on Friday.
The Commission chairman Siddharth Majumder met with 10 representatives from the protesters and explained the legal constraints pertaining to the matter. While expressing his sympathy towards legitimate candidates who allegedly lost their jobs in the case, he assured them that the commission will do everything possible within the legal framework to assist them.
The Calcutta High Court had declared around 25,753 appointments–both teaching and non-teaching–granted in the selection process of 2016 as “null and void and cancelled.” It was challenged in the Supreme Court by the state government.
According to a news agency, the state argued that the High Court instead of segregating the valid from invalid appointments has set the 2016 recruitment entirely. It was further pleaded that the special bench had relied upon oral arguments without the support of affidavits.
It was stated that the result of this judgement will create a vacuum in the state unless the new selection process is completed.
Hence, it will impact the students considering the upcoming new academic session. The Supreme Court recently stayed CBI probe with regard to the state government officials involved in approving supernumerary posts to accommodate illegal appointments and to take such persons into custodial interrogation if necessary.
However, the apex court turned down the prayer for stay of High Court’s direction to cancel the appointments of 25,753 candidates, which includes both teaching and non-teaching staff who were appointed in 2016.
Over 400 companies of Central Paramilitary Forces will be there on the day of phase III.
MP, 4 May 2024, Kolkata: The Election Commission (EC) is all set to conduct phase III polls on May 7 amidst tight security when Malda South, Malda North, Murshidabad and Jangipur will go to polls.
Over 400 companies of Central Paramilitary Forces will be there on the day of phase III.
EC is going to deploy 64 companies of Central Forces in the Jangipur Lok Sabha constituency while in Malda around 144 companies will be deployed. There will be around 144 companies of Central forces for Murshidabad Lok Sabha constituency while 143 companies.
In the fourth phase of elections, around 596 companies of central forces will be deployed by the EC. In the fifth phase, the state may see a deployment of around 750 companies of central forces.
There will be additional deployment of forces for QRT and confidence-building exercise and on strong room duty. The decision comes in the wake of violence during the panchayat polls of 2023 in Domkal and other parts of Murshidabad, prompting the EC to analyse sensitive booths to finalize force deployment.
EC is concerned for the Murshidabad district as it had past instances of violence. In Malda North, Khagen Murmu, a BJP leader is contesting the elections for his party. He is pitted against Prasun Banerjee from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Mostaque Alam from the Congress.
Sreerupa Mitra Chowdhury is the BJP candidate in Malda South who is contesting against Shanawaz Ali Rehan of the TMC, while Isha Khan Choudhury represents Congress.
In Murshidabad seat, the contest is between CPI(M’s) Mohammed Salim, Trinamool’s Abu Taher Khan, and BJP’s Gouri Shankar Ghosh. TMC’s Abu Taher Khan, the incumbent, aims for re-election.
The Jangipur Lok Sabha seat has a significant legacy linked to the late President Pranab Mukherjee. Khallilur Rahman of TMC, the incumbent, faces competition from BJP’s Dhanahjay Ghosh and Congress’ Mortazza Hossain in a three-cornered fight.
The EC on Friday issued directives to remove two officers-in-charge — one from Anandapur police station under Kolkata police and another from Diamond Harbour Police Station in South 24-Parganas.
The EC also said that the two officers cannot be deployed in election duties. The office of the state’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has to submit names of three possible officers to fill up the two posts which will be vacant.
On Thursday, Raj Bhavan banned the entry of Bhattacharya. On Friday, a statement from the Governor’s office read: “The Attorney General for India has been contacted for advice on further legal steps against the Minister for her defamatory and anti-constitutional media statements.”
MP,4 May 2024, Kolkata: A day after Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and minister Chandrima Bhattacharya accused Governor C V Ananda Bose of turning the ‘Peace Room’ in Raj Bhavan into Peace Haven (a city-based mortuary) of women’s respect, the Governor’s office has informed it is consulting the Attorney General for legal action against Bhattacharya.
On Thursday, Raj Bhavan banned the entry of Bhattacharya. On Friday, a statement from the Governor’s office read: “The Attorney General for India has been contacted for advice on further legal steps against the Minister for her defamatory and anti-constitutional media statements.”
Bhattacharya said she cannot be intimidated and that Raj Bhavan has no right to ban her entry. She said she has a sound understanding of law and will take necessary action. TMC leader Shashi Panja said: “Governor is in arrogance mode and banned our Finance minister from entering Raj Bhavan.
Did he ever think that we were willing to go there? After this allegation, are we ready to enter that place? Ask us first.”
Since PM Modi was supposed to stay at Raj Bhavan on Thursday night, she questioned: “I want to know where did the PM stay last night? Why did he not utter a single word on the molestation allegations against the Governor?
Raj Bhavan has also banned the entry of police into its premises “in the guise of conducting unauthorised, illegitimate, sham and motivated investigation to placate political bosses during elections”.
DC Central, Kolkata Police, Indira Mukherjee told the media that a complaint was received at 5 pm at Raj Bhavan outpost on Thursday where a woman who is a Raj Bhavan staff alleged sexual harassment against the Governor.
Mukherjee said the complaint was forwarded to Hare Street police station. “We have initiated an inquiry. Since this kind of complaint is a sensitive matter. We are consulting our law department and constitutional experts.
It is part of our inquiry. We know when the incident happened but we will not share it now,” she said. Asked if she spoke to the officer on special duty (OSD) of the Governor, she said: “Our inquiry has not reached that level yet”.
Meanwhile, Kolkata Police has constituted an eight-member Special Enquiry Team (SET) to conduct an enquiry about the alleged molestation. Cops on Friday reportedly went to Ran Bhavan and talked with some of the employees.
The Governor, in a message said: “Dear members of the Raj Bhavan staff. I welcome all generous allegations and the frequent innuendos passed on me by a political force. I understand there is more in the offing. But one thing is clear.
None of the absurd dramas is going to deter me from a determined effort to expose corruption and curb violence. Character assassination is the last resort of a failing malevolence. Those who engineer these filthy narratives have a totally moribund character…”
The complainant informed the Raj Bhavan OC on Thursday that she resides in the Raj Bhavan quarters and is a contractual staff there. She alleged that on April 19 the Governor asked her to meet him with a resume and on April 24, she met him in the afternoon. It is then that the Governor allegedly made a lewd proposal and even touched her.
She alleged she somehow managed to avoid that. She also alleged she was again called on May 2 when she decided to go along with the supervisor but the Governor asked the supervisor to leave the conference room. He allegedly told the victim he will call her at night but when she refused, he misbehaved with her.
Pradip Chatterjee, MP, 4 May 2024, Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on Friday accused the BJP of attempting to intimidate IAS and IPS officers. “They (BJP) are so scared that they are calling IPS and IAS officers and threatening them to stand by the side of the BJP.
The officers are asked to stay away from the Trinamool Congress. Do you think that this news will not reach us,” Banerjee slammed the BJP. She was addressing two election rallies in East Burdwan — Raina and Purbasthali. Banerjee also alleged that around 1,500 state police who were taken by the Election Commission for conducting polls in other states were not given postal ballots.
“State police can be taken to other states but why they will not be given postal ballots? Why will the permission not be given? Either you (ECI) give them permission to cast their votes or else I will bring them back to the state. You can do whatever you wish to,” Banerjee hit out at the ECI.
Banerjee also hit out at Modi for mocking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over contesting from two Lok Sabha seats, saying PM Modi and many others from the BJP have done the same in the past.
“He (Modi) unnecessarily made a statement this morning. Although CPI(M), Congress and BJP are contesting as partners in Bengal, he referred to the Congress and asked why Rahul Gandhi is contesting from Rai Bareli.
He (Rahul) has done what he wanted. He has every right. How does it concern you? You also fought from two seats in the past. Many in your party did it,” Banerjee trained her guns at the PM from an election rally in Burdwan.
Incidentally, PM Modi held back-to-back election rallies in Bengal on Friday. Also Read – Trinamool ‘fact-checks’ PM Modi, counters his claims at Bengal rally “It seems he (Modi) has no work to do.
A PM doesn’t even know what should be said, and what shouldn’t,” Banerjee said, referring to the barbs that PM Modi threw at Rahul Gandhi. PM Modi from a rally in Burdwan said that he had spoken about the Congress losing the elections in his Parliament speech.
“When their senior leader quit her Lok Sabha seat and entered Parliament through Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan, it was evident they sensed defeat,” he said, a reference to Sonia Gandhi’s decision not to contest from the Gandhi family pocket borough Rae Bareli due to health reasons.
On Friday, the Congress announced Rahul Gandhi will contest from the constituency. Reacting to Modi’s comment that BJP would open a legal cell for the help of genuine candidates who have been rendered jobless following High Court order, Banerjee said that Modi should not say anything about this as his party BJP in connivance with the CPI(M) snatched jobs of around 26,000 teaching and non-teaching staff.
The crime investigation department booked Prajwal, grandson of former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, after a JD-S worker from Hassan lodged a complaint against him
PTI, 03, May 2024 : The Criminal Investigation Department investigating the sexual abuse allegations against Janata Dal-Secular leader and National Democratic Alliance’s Hassan Lok Sabha candidate Prajwal Revanna has registered a case of rape against him, based on the complaint by a party worker.
The crime investigation department booked Prajwal, grandson of former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, after a JD-S worker from Hassan lodged a complaint against him.
Besides the rape charges, the CID invoked sections against Prajwal pertaining to voyeurism, disrobing and making videos and taking photographs by threatening the complainant.
In the complaint, the woman said Prajwal had raped her at gunpoint and made videos on his mobile phones.
She said Prajwal had taken her to the MP quarters where he perpetrated the crime at gunpoint and threatened that he would kill her as well as her husband, if she revealed to anyone what he had done.
The accused allegedly forced her to satisfy his lust whenever he demanded, and threatened to make her video public if she did not cooperate.
Prajwal is facing allegations of sexually abusing several women. The state government-constituted Special Investigation Team is investigating the case.
Scores of explicit video clips allegedly involving the 33-year-old MP sexually abusing several women had started making the rounds in recent days.
Prajwal is the BJP-JD-S alliance’s candidate from the Hassan Lok Sabha constituency where polling was held on April 26, after which he left the country on a diplomatic passport.
The JD-S had joined the NDA in September last year.
The JD-S leadership has suspended Prajwal from the party.
Police personnel from the RAF and Bidhannagar police commissionerate intervened, halting the demonstrators near the commission’s head office at Karunamoyee
PTI, Calcutta, 03.05.24,: Around 1,000 young teachers, who were rendered jobless following a recent ruling by the Calcutta High Court, staged a demonstration outside the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) office here on Friday to express their grievances.
The teachers said they were part of the 26,000 candidates who appeared for the SSC 2016 test, a recruitment process deemed null and void by the high court in its recent verdict.
Police personnel from the RAF and Bidhannagar police commissionerate intervened, halting the demonstrators near the commission’s head office at Karunamoyee.
Approximately, 100 protesters were briefly detained for obstructing the road, a police official said.
SSC chairman Siddhartha Majumder told PTI that he met about 10 representatives from the protesters, explaining the legal constraints faced by the commission.
He expressed sympathy towards deserving candidates and assured them that the commission would do whatever possible within the legal framework to assist them.
“I have told them we are sympathetic to the deserving candidates.
The commission will certainly do whatever is possible, as per the legal framework, to help them,” he said.
However, he highlighted that the commission’s actions were restricted as the matter was now sub-judice.
Responding to queries regarding demands for the release of answer sheets in the public domain, Majumder clarified that the commission couldn’t even disclose candidates’ results, as the entire issue was sub-judice.
The SSC had earlier said while results of around 20,000 candidates were not suspicious, there are anomalies in the results of over 5000 and it had been brought to the notice of the court in past submissions.
The bench asked Singhvi when are the elections scheduled in Delhi to which he replied that on May 23 the campaigning will come to an end in the national capital and on May 25 the polling will be held
PTI, New Delhi, 03.05.24 : In a ray of hope to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal after 43 days of his arrest in the excise policy-linked money laundering case, the Supreme Court on Friday told the Enforcement Directorate to be ready with the case as it may consider hearing arguments on his interim bail on May 7 on account of Lok Sabha polls in Delhi.
Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 and is currently lodged in Tihar jail under judicial custody.
A bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta told Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the Enforcement Directorate (ED), that the hearing on Kejriwal’s plea against arrest is likely to take time and therefore, the court was considering hearing the probe agency on interim bail to him.
“It appears we can’t complete today. We will post it on Tuesday morning itself. Mr Raju, one more thing. If it is going to take time and it does appear to us that it may take some time, we will then consider the question of interim bail because of the elections,” the bench told Raju, who was wrapping up his argument for the day.
Raju submitted that he will oppose the bail to Kejriwal and pointed out that to the statements made by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh after getting bail last month in the case.
“Just, look at the kind of statements he is making,” he said.
The bench said it is putting the agency on notice about the court’s intention, so that it is not taken by surprise on May 7, when the interim bail issue will be dealt.
“We are not commenting on it either way. We are just saying we will hear on interim bail and not saying we will grant interim bail. We may or may not grant interim bail,” the bench said.
It also told senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Kejriwal,
“Just one thing more. Please also take instructions. Because of the position he holds, whether he should be signing official files?” During the hearing, Singhvi informed the bench that on March 16 the elections were announced and on March 21, Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on the basis of statements and materials which were available with the agency since last July.
The bench asked Singhvi when are the elections scheduled in Delhi to which he replied that on May 23 the campaigning will come to an end in the national capital and on May 25 the polling will be held.
The top court was also critical of Singhvi’s arguments that AAP being a political party will not be covered under section 70 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), which deals with offences by companies.
“Anything done by a political party cannot be attributed to its President, Convenor or General Secretary, else it will be a case of vicarious liability. A political party is out of the section 70 of the PMLA,” he submitted, adding that the provision only deals with companies.
The senior lawyer further said that a political party is not a partnership, private corporate firm or a society but an entity which is registered under the Representation of the People Act.
The bench said, “It is difficult to accept your arguments.
AAP is a juristic person and cannot be arrested. It can be impleaded as accused. Person in-charge can be prosecuted along with the juristic person under section 70 of the PMLA. Will the society not be covered under section 70.
Anyways, we have noted your arguments and will deal with it.” Singhvi said that there is no direct evidence of Kejriwal receiving kickback and if at all he has, then the case will fall under the Prevention of Corruption Act and not the PMLA.
He added that all the materials the ED has, were covered in the bail case of former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and the court has said that no case is made out based on them.
The top court also posed several queries to ED including on why nine exculpatory statements of witnesses were not mentioned in the ground of arrest of Kejriwal and why only inculpatory statements were mentioned.
Raju replied that the investigating officer, though having considered all the materials before him, is required to only mention the relevant material which make him believe that the accused has committed the offence.
“I have considered all the materials but I need to mention only the relevant material and not irrelevant materials. The statements which are exculpatory are irrelevant material and if the investigation officer is to record all the materials before it, then the record will be voluminous and he will not be able to file the chargesheet in 60 days,” Raju submitted.
However, the bench did not agree with the submissions and said that the scheme of the law and the 2022 verdict in Vijay Madanlal Choudhury has kept section 19 at higher pedestal and therefore, entire material should be before the court at the time of his arrest.
Section 19 of the PMLA empowers the ED to arrest persons based on the material in its possession, providing a reasonable basis to suspect that an individual has committed an offence punishable under the law.
The top court issued the ED a notice on April 15 and sought its response to Kejriwal’s plea.
On April 9, the high court upheld Kejriwal’s arrest, saying there was no illegality and the ED was left with “little option” after he skipped repeated summonses and refused to join the investigation.
The matter pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and execution of the Delhi government’s now-scrapped excise policy for 2021-22.
The petition highlighted the alarming rise in temperatures, which are expected to go beyond 40 degree Celsius, and also stated that the number of voters over the age of 40 is high and that they are vulnerable to the heatwave
PTI, Bengaluru, 03.05.24 : Citing the ongoing heatwave in the state, Karnataka BJP on Friday petitioned the Election Commission with a request to modify the polling hours to the 6am-7pm period in the 14 parliamentary constituencies in the state that goes to polls on May 7.
Polling is currently scheduled to be held in the second phase in the state in 14 segments in the northern districts between 7am to 6pm on May 7.
“It has become hard to come out and vote between hours 10.00 to 17.00 due to uncontrollable heat. The average heat in those parts (north Karnataka) covering 14 parliamentary constituencies are between 37 and 42 degree (Celsius). The mercury is rising at an alarming level and it would become hard for the electors to come out and vote,” BJP’s petition said.
The petition highlighted the alarming rise in temperatures, which are expected to go beyond 40 degree Celsius, and also stated that the number of voters over the age of 40 is high and that they are vulnerable to the heatwave.
“To keep up the good spirit of voting, necessary action should be taken,” the BJP petition urged the Election Commission, saying, “In this background, it is requested to modify the time of voting in the 14 parliamentary constituencies from 06.00 to 19.00 hours on May 7”.
Polling was held between 7 am and 6 pm during Karnataka’s first phase of the Lok Sabha polls in 14 constituencies on April 26.
‘I was unhappy with some things and had to speak,’ says Ghosh who seems even more emboldened now that he no longer holds any party post. ‘The party was unhappy with what I said. I have distanced myself a little’
(L-R) Abhishek Banerjee, Kunal Ghosh and Mamata Banerjee.: TTO Graphics.
Arnab Ganguly, TT, Calcutta, 03.05.24 : The chronicle was foretold but the timing has taken political Bengal by surprise.
It began with minor skirmishes. Abhishek Banerjee, the heir to Didi’s political empire, is known to be impatient. For a while he has been targeting the explosion of movie stars in TMC politics. He has no problem with full-time politicians coming from the entertainment background. But he thought the glamorous TMC brigade in the Lok Sabha were first movie stars and politicians only next.
Also, he has little time for the elderly “has beens” like Sougata Roy, four-time MP from Dum Dum, and Sudip Bandopadhyay, the five-time MP from North Calcutta. They should give way to the next generation, the nephew was believed to have said.
Aunt Mamata Banerjee did not wholly agree. The more glamorous contestants were not given Lok Sabha tickets this time. But others got the ticket and there were fresh entries. But, a whopping one-third of women candidates were from the entertainment sector.
TTO Graphics.
Didi had her own reasons. The TMC is riven by factions in many districts. Giving tickets to an outsider and a movie star will make them less unhappy. Rather an outsider than losing to rivals. But Didi does not tolerate opposition from the party or from her nephew.
Then Gaza like bombing began. Deb, a superstar who has seen better times and has won twice from the south Bengal constituency of Ghatal, was the provocation. Deb himself did not wish to contest, but Didi suspected he was in touch with the BJP. She persuaded him to contest and even forced her nephew to request Deb.
The story took a curious turn here. Mithun Chakraborty, the aging superstar of Bollywood, is a local favourite being the only Bengali national figure after Saurav Ganguly. Mithun was a Didi nominee in the Rajya Sabha but switched sides and joined the BJP. Didi had called him a “gaddar”.
Professional affiliation runs deep in Deb’s vein. I do not like the use of words such as “gaddar”, he had said solemnly. Yet, Didi did not take umbrage and went on to campaign for Deb.
Then the drone attacks began. Abhishek Banerjee used Kunal Ghosh, a spokesman for the party, an unguided missile generally believed to be the public voice of the nephew. Ghosh thus punches above his weight. “We dare not say anything lest it antagonises the nephew,” said a senior Trinamul leader on condition of anonymity.
But Ghosh is irrepressible. He has found his second target: his old nemesis, the BJP MP from Calcutta North. Suitably inspired, Ghosh did himself one better. He attended a social event (blood donation camp) along with the BJP candidate in North Calcutta, Tapas Roy, who was till recently not just a star member of the Trinamul, but also a vocal critic of Ghosh for years. Roy had tried his best to be the Trinamul candidate himself. When that failed he joined the BJP.
At the event, Ghosh spoke a lot, praising Roy and even going on to say, tellingly, that this time Trinamul did not want “false votes” to be cast in Calcutta North, thereby casting aspersions on Bandopadhyay’s record of winning the seat since 2009. Rebuff came immediately. He was handed over a letter from Derek O’Brien telling him he was no longer one of the state secretaries of the party. Ghosh is understood to have made a face before mockingly referring to the party’s Rajya Sabha MP. “Quiz master,” he muttered, loud enough for all to hear.
Undeterred, Ghosh let loose another bombshell soon after, that too on television. “The party was well aware of the fact that large-scale corruption and extortion in lieu of jobs was taking place in the school education department. The party was aware of it even before the 2021 assembly polls,” he said in an interview to Bengali news channel ABP Ananda.
Ghosh did not mention names. But the Trinamul struck back within 24 hours. By Thursday afternoon, Ghosh’s name was struck off the list of the party’s star campaigners. But that further emboldened Ghosh, the proverbial ant which could drive the elephantine Trinamul crazy by his antics. A good writer and speaker, Ghosh is able to unleash all kinds of verbal missiles at will.
But Ghosh continues to hold other plum responsibilities. He runs the party mouthpiece and also looks after ā Bengali daily on Didi’s behalf. Clearly, he has powerful backers.
Since his release from prison in October 2016 (he was arrested in connection with the Saradha scam in 2013) and reinstatement in the party around four years later, Ghosh has cemented his position as a trusted aide of Abhishek.
“If someone says that I am being tutored to say these things, then the issues I am raising will become redundant,” Ghosh told The Telegraph Online. “I was unhappy with some things and had to speak. The party was unhappy with what I said. I have distanced myself a little.”
Bandopadhyay apart, Ghosh has had other Didi favourites in his line of fire, like, for instance, jailed ex-minister Partha Chatterjee, ex-MP Subrata Bakshi, candidate Kalyan Banerjee and mayor and state minister Firhad Hakim. Hence, hiding behind Ghosh’s diatribes is the answer to the question that has bothered the Trinamul rank and file in the last three years. How deep is the chasm between Didi and her nephew?
In the last four years, Ghosh has convinced many that like Abhishek, he too believes Trinamul needs to replace the old guard and some of Mamata’s personal favourites to stay ahead in the game. “Didi runs the party with an emotional connect. Abhishek wants to run it more in the manner of a corporate,” said a Trinamul leader, trying to make sense of the nephew’s line of thinking.
There are those in the Trinamul who believe Abhishek is hungry to take over the reins of the party, though no one is saying he would go the whole hog anytime soon. Side by side, Ghosh’s gradual return to favour has been the stuff of legends.
As the only Trinamul leader who publicly vilified Mamata when he was in jail, Ghosh’s rise has been nothing short of spectacular. Ghosh is also said to have played a key role in the rehabilitation of “renegade” bureaucrats. Nandini Chakravorty, a civil servant with lots of spunk, was shunted to dead posts such as secretary to the Governor. But she bounced back as a senior secretary after she paid obeisance to Ghosh.
All this may or may not be entirely true. But people believe in such stories. An impression is created. Soon that holds ground. And that’s what matters. Now that he’s no longer a star campaigner for Trinamul, Ghosh is making full use of his freedom. He has hit the road. “The issues that I am talking about, like the teachers’ recruitment scam (it was wrongly handled). The party will reap the benefits if it is solved. Trinamul leaders from the heart of the city have quit. They could have been stopped. I am not a policymaker. I am simply drawing the attention of the party,” he said.
Today, Kunal Ghosh is believed to be the “Nabi” to Abhishek’s “Allah”. And as long as Abhishek is all but inaccessible, Ghosh will remain a factor in Bengal politics.
Modi slammed the Opposition bloc INDIA and the Congress for ‘supporting’ the ‘vote jihad’ comments made by a candidate of the Samajwadi Party (SP), an ally of the grand old party in Uttar Pradesh
PTI, Bardhaman, 03.05.24 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday asserted that Congress’ tally in the Lok Sabha polls will be an “all-time low”, as the grand old party would struggle to cross even the “half-century” mark in the hustings.
Modi also mocked Rahul Gandhi’s decision to contest from Uttar Pradesh’s Rae Bareli seat, and said the Congress leader did so after “sensing defeat” in Kerala’s Wayanad, where he is a sitting MP.
Addressing back-to-back rallies in the Bardhaman-Durgapur, Krishnanagar and Bolpur Lok Sabha constituencies, the PM said if Congress is voted to power, it would “snatch” quotas meant for the Scheduled Caste, Dalits and OBCs and give those to its “jihadi vote bank” to pursue the party’s “appeasement politics”.
Modi slammed the Opposition bloc INDIA and the Congress for “supporting” the “vote jihad” comments made by a candidate of the Samajwadi Party (SP), an ally of the grand old party in Uttar Pradesh.
“There is no need for opinion polls or exit polls, as I had talked about their (Congress) defeat long back in Parliament. When their senior leader quit her Lok Sabha seat and entered Parliament through Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan, it was evident they sensed defeat,” he said, in an apparent dig at Sonia Gandhi.
“Now, the ‘shehzada’ of Congress, who went to Wayanad after losing the Amethi seat, is also contesting from Rae Bareli. He knows he will lose Wayanad this time,” Modi said.
He said Rahul Gandhi should not be afraid and “keep running away”.
“I had said earlier that the ‘prince’, after the polling in Wayanad, would look for another seat, due to fear of defeat in that constituency. Now, he had to run away from Amethi and choose Rae Bareli. They go around and ask people not to feel afraid. I would tell them the same thing – don’t be afraid and don’t run away,” the prime minister said.
The Congress on Friday ended the suspense over Amethi and Rae Bareli, announcing his candidature from the seat held by his mother Sonia Gandhi for the last two decades.
Rahul Gandhi had lost from the adjoining Amethi constituency in 2019 but won from Wayanad – a seat he is contesting this time as well.
“The Congress’ tally in the Lok Sabha polls will be an all-time low. Let the Congress try as much as it wants, but the party won’t be able to cross the half-century mark this time. They would struggle to get even 50 seats,” Modi asserted.
The grand old party’s lowest tally in the Lok Sabha polls was in 2014 when it bagged just 44 seats. In 2019, it managed 52 seats.
“Can the TMC by winning 15 seats across the country, the Congress by getting less than 50 seats or the Left Front, which has lost its support base, win the elections and form a stable government? The answer is no. Only the BJP-led NDA can win the polls and form a stable government,” he said.
The prime minister also challenged the Congress to give in writing that it would not amend the constitution to provide reservations based on religion.
“Our constitution explicitly states that the government of India must not provide reservations based on religion. The Congress wants to do the same as they are angry with the OBCs, Dalits and the tribals because they supported Modi,” he said.
Modi said he has been challenging the Congress on three points for the last 10 days, but it has remained silent.
“My first challenge is – Congress and the INDI alliance should give assurance to the country in writing that they will not make any changes in the Constitution or give reservations based on religion. My second challenge is – they should promise the country in writing that they will not snatch the reservations of SC/ST and OBCs and divide those based on religion.
“My third challenge is they should give in writing that wherever their state governments are in power, reservations will not be given to Muslims based on religion by slashing the OBC quota,” he said.
Modi also said the “game of vote jihad” has been silently continuing in the country for decades.
“The royal family of the Congress, the TMC and the Left are silent on this appeal of ‘vote jihad’ against me. This means that every single member of the opposition alliance agrees with it,” he said.
Hitting out at the coalition, the PM said the INDIA bloc of Congress, TMC and the Left parties “has only one policy – appeasement”.
“First, they divided the country based on religion, and the brunt was borne by communities like the Sikhs, Christians and Parsis, who were left stranded on the other side. To take care of such communities, our government decided to bring the CAA, but these parties, including the TMC, are fighting tooth and nail against it to not upset their vote bank,” he said.
Reaching out to the Matua community of West Bengal, Modi said: “We had hoped that the TMC would support the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, as the Matuas would benefit from it. But, the state’s ruling party is opposing it for their vote bank politics.” On Congress leader Sam Pitroda’s remarks over wealth redistribution, the PM said, the Congress and the INDIA bloc are planning to “take the wealth that you have accumulated by working hard and enduring hardships, and distribute it among their vote bank”.
Assistant Labour Commissioner Subhrajyoti Sarkar, stationed at the Jalpaiguri District Labor Office, disclosed that the Totapara plantation management has been summoned for a meeting scheduled for Monday to address the unfolding crisis.
Dibyendu Sinha, MP, 2 May 2024, Jalpaiguri: The management of the Totapara Tea Garden in Jalpaiguri abruptly suspended operations, leaving about 850 tea garden workers unemployed. Workers claim this action was illegal, while the owners blame a section of the workers.
Assistant Labour Commissioner Subhrajyoti Sarkar, stationed at the Jalpaiguri District Labor Office, disclosed that the Totapara plantation management has been summoned for a meeting scheduled for Monday to address the unfolding crisis.
Aside from the contentious issue of work suspension, workers at Totapara tea plantation are grappling with outstanding dues, including Provident Fund (PF), gratuity and unpaid wages.
Seeking redress, a cohort of workers converged at Banarhat Police Station on April 27, staging a sit-in protest to expedite the resolution of their dues. Despite efforts, a scheduled tripartite meeting convened at the Banarhat Block Development Officer (BDO) office found none of the management representatives in attendance.
However, the administration received a letter from the owners assuring settlement of one installment of the outstanding wages on Tuesday. Expressing his dismay, Ramesh Mahali, a plantation worker, lamented: “The garden owner pledged to settle the dues by Tuesday, only to abscond and post the notice of suspension overnight, leaving us unaware until Wednesday, a holiday.”
Punita Mahali, another worker, echoed the sentiment, stating: “From basic amenities like access to drinking water to essential medical treatment, the garden fails us.
Adding insult to injury, our PF and gratuity remain unpaid. We hold onto hope that the garden will reopen following administrative intervention, once these issues are addressed.”
The cash was being carried to Chanchal from Gazole for election purposes. The BJP worker could not produce any paper in support of his claim. On April 29 in English Bazar, Rs 2 lakh in cash was also seized from Shantanu Ghosh, general secretary of BJP South Malda organisational district by the flying squad.
Avijit Roy, MP, 2 May 2024, Malda: The flying squad of the Election Commission of India (ECI) seized cash worth Rs 8 lakh from a vehicle on the Bypass Road of Paharpur under the Chanchal Police Station on Wednesday from a worker of BJP.
The cash was being carried to Chanchal from Gazole for election purposes. The BJP worker could not produce any paper in support of his claim. On April 29 in English Bazar, Rs 2 lakh in cash was also seized from Shantanu Ghosh, general secretary of BJP South Malda organisational district by the flying squad.
Ghosh claimed it to be his funds of trade but failed to produce adequate documents so the amount was seized and forwarded to the District Grievance Committee for further verification.
A car was stopped on the Bypass Road of Paharpur on Wednesday carrying flags and logos of BJP by the officials of the flying squad. On further search, cash worth 8 lakh was found from the vehicle.
Tilak Ram, office in-charge of BJP in Chanchal Assembly constituency, said: “I have been carrying the fund for election purposes from Alampur to Chanchal BJP party office to meet several expenses of the election.
They seized the amount and I shall go to the committee to claim it back.” The officials said that the seized amount would be sent to the authorised committee and hearings will be made for verifying the source of money.
To implement the Model Code of Conduct in Malda, 64 flying squad teams, 42 video surveillance teams and 82 static surveillance teams have been formed. Afsar Ali, Chanchal Block president of TMC, said: “The BJP government has stopped the funds for Bengal in various schemes and is now sending money for their own election expenditure. This party is trying to buy votes on money power.
Refuse to be cowed down by engineered narratives….truth will triumph: Bose
EOI, KOLKATA, MAY 2, 2024 : In a sensational incident that stirred a political furore in the state a female employee of Raj Bhavan today put West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose in the dock for sexual harassment.
She filed a complaint against the Governor at Hare Street police station under Kolkata Police . The woman, who had been working as a temporary employee of Raj Bhavan used to live in the staff quarters of Raj Bhavan.
However the Governor refuted the charges vehemently. “Truth shall triumph. I refuse to be cowed down by engineered narratives If any body wants some election benefits by maligning me God bless them. But they can not stop my fight against corruption and violence in Bengal,’’
Governor Bose said in a statement. In expected fashion the incident triggered a political slugfest in the state. `
`A Governor is being accused of indulging in sexual harassment. What kind of state we are in,’’ fumed state minister Chandrima Bhattacharya.
Retorted Subhendu Adhikary, BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly. “It could be an attempt to divert people’s attention from the several scams the ruling TMC is reeling under. However the allegation should be probed. `
If it turns out to be a conspiracy the perpetrators should be punished. But if it comes out to be true action should also be taken,’’ Ashikary said.
However, according to constitutional experts a Governor, while in office enjoys immunity from all criminal proceedings under Article 361 of the Constitution.
He was addressing a poll gathering at Surendranagar in Gujarat in support of BJP candidates for Surendranagar and Bhavnagar Lok Sabha seats
PTI, Surendranagar, May 02 2024 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday attacked the Congress over party president Mallikarjun Kharge’s recent remark on Lord Ram and Lord Shiva, accusing the opposition party of trying to create divisions among Hindus due to its appeasement politics.
He was addressing a poll gathering at Surendranagar in Gujarat in support of BJP candidates for Surendranagar and Bhavnagar Lok Sabha seats. “Now, Congress is trying to create divisions among Hindus. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has made a very dangerous statement about Lord Ram and Lord Shiva.
This statement has been made with malafide intentions.
They are playing a game to divide the Hindu community,” he said. “They are creating differences among the devotees of Lord Ram and Lord Shiva so that they fight with each other. Even Mughals could not break our thousands of years of traditions.
And now Congress wants to break it? How low will Congress stoop for appeasement?” Modi added. The PM also alleged that Congress, in its manifesto, has proposed a separate quota for minorities in the allocation of all government tenders.
Addressing a rally in Jamnagarin Gujarat, the PM said the Congress government in Karnataka issued a “fatwa” overnight to include Muslims in the Other Backward Classes
segment to give them quota benefits. “The Congress is contesting elections on two strategies. The first is to divide society in the name of caste and the second is unite its vote bank through appeasement,” Modi said.
He further said the Congress planned to change the Constitution to give reservation on the basis of religion. This is why the Congress party spread an “absolute rumour” regarding (curtailing of) reservations to Dalits, Adivasis and OBCs and tried to make it an election agenda, the PM said. The Congress is trying to take away reservations of SCs, STs and OBCs
and give these benefits to Constituent Assembly did not have Muslims.
In Karnataka, 27 per cent OBC quota was “looted overnight” by the Congress to appease its vote bank, whereas those who drafted the Constitution were clear that religion-based quota could not be provided, the PM said.
“The leaders from BJP, RSS. Scholars
like Babasaheb Ambedkar were
present and after detailed
discussions they decided that
reservation cannot be given in the
name of religion as it would create
a grave danger for the country,” he
said.
“The poison sprayed by
Congress has gone very high and I
don’t know to what places it will
spread by end of this election,” the
PM said, adding the opposition
party’s leaders were at the
forefront of supporting “terrorists”
and were now calling for “vote
jihad”. The then prime minster
served as the guest of Kashmiri
separatists and Congress leaders
came forward to save Ajmal Kasab,
the lone gunman arrested after the
26/11 terror attack on Mumbai,
Modi said.
“Books were written to
save jihadis of the Mumbai terror
attack and a Congress leader
released (one such) book. In Delhi,
when terrorists were killed at Batla
House, the ‘madam’ of the Congress
could not stop tears. When Afzal
Guru was sentenced to hang, people
from this ecosystem reached the
Supreme Court and the President,”
the PM said.
These people are now
calling for “vote jihad” (religion
based voting to stop the BJP), he
pointed out. Slamming the
Congress’ manifesto, Modi said it as a sign of danger for the country.
“INDI alliance leaders are asking
Muslim voters to go for vote jihad.
It is not something being uttered by
a child studying in a madrassa but
by Congress leaders who come
from highly educated families,” the
PM said. “
“The kind of language
that the Muslim League used, the
narrative on which the country was
divided are unfortunately the same
on the basis of which they are
seeking votes,” he said.
The
Congress leaves no opportunity to
mock “our faith” but would it dare
to make fun of anything related to
other religions, the PM asked.
“They boycott the Ram Temple,
they call Dwarka a lie. They say we
will make Lord Shiva and Lord
Ram fight and ensure Ram’s defeat.
The ‘shehzada’ of the Congress even
ridiculed my offering prayers in
submerged Dwarka. Therefore, I
say we should be careful of the
Congress,” the PM said.
The
Congress’ politics started with false
propaganda and has now fallen into
despair, Modi said.
“The Congress
has the same frustration and hatred
towards the country’s development
that it once had for Gujarat. While
India’s stature is rising across the
world, the shehzada of the Congress
and his ecosystem go abroad and
defame our country with long
lectures,” the PM said in a swipe at
Rahul Gandhi.
When the Congress-
led UPA was unseated in 2014, the
country’s economy was the 11th
largest in the world, whereas India
was ranked 6th when it gained
Independence, the PM pointed out.
“They were intellectuals. However,
then came a chaiwala who had
Gujarati blood and the economy
rose to 5th rank,” the PM said,
adding he did not seek people’s
blessings for power, prestige and
position but to fulfil the pledge of
making India the third largest
economy.
“You can imagine how
much the world’s attitude will
change towards India when we
achieve third rank. India will be
self-reliant and will not have to
spread its hand before the world for
anything. I need blessings to make
such an India,” Modi asserted.
Slamming the Congress’ “scholars”
for claiming that the country’s
economy would achieve third rank
by itself and for stating that
poverty can be removed in an
instant, Modi said these persons
had never thought about facing and
overcoming challenges and solving
problems. “When the intentions are
clean, the results are grand,” the PM
emphasised.
Modi said he has three
challenges for the Congress, and
these are, firstly, giving in writing
whether it would provide religion-
based quota to Muslims by
changing the Constitution,
secondly, not taking away
reservation benefits of Dalits,
tribals and OBCs, and thirdly, that
its state governments will not run a
hidden agenda of including
Muslims in the OBC segment.
“Will
Modi stay silent when the country
is facing such dangers? Will he
ever allow the country to be
divided? As long as Modi is alive,
he will not allow the country to be
divided again in the name of
religion,” he asserted. The
Congress’ leaders, instead of
responding (to such challenges) are
misleading the public, he added.
Voting on 25 of Gujarat’s 26 Lok
Sabha seats will take place on May
7. The BJP has won the Surat seat
unopposed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is lying about the benefits of UCC that it will help everybody. Instead, if UCC is implemented, it will put at stake the existence of SCs, STs and OBCs. BJP will destroy the constitution, says the Bengal Chief Minister
West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee.: File picture.
PTI, Tehatta (WB), 02.05.24 :West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused the Narendra Modi government of attempting to marginalise the SCs, STs, and OBCs.
Speaking at a rally in support of TMC candidate Mahua Moitra at Tehatta in Nadia district, Banerjee criticised the BJP government’s ‘falsehoods’ about citizenship benefits for marginalised communities, warning that the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) could jeopardise the rights of SCs, STs, and OBCs.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi is lying about the benefits of UCC that it will help everybody. Instead, if UCC is implemented, it will put at stake the existence of SCs, STs and OBCs. BJP will destroy the constitution. But rest assured, we will not let it happen,” Banerjee said.
The TMC chief said for the past 10 years, the BJP has been spreading lies about Matuas and other backward castes getting citizenship through the CAA, which is a ploy to take away one’s already existing bona fide citizenship rights and deport them to concentration camps.
The Krishnanagar constituency has a large population of Matua population.
She also said the UCC will prevent different communities, tribes and sects from practicing their own customs and rituals.
The CM cautioned the electorate against BJP’s ploy “to inflate the voting figure after the actual date of polling by using the Election Commission.” She expressed bewilderment over the Election Commission’s announcement of an increased poll percentage four days after the actual voting took place, stating that while she wasn’t casting aspersions on the EC, she found it unfathomable.
Banerjee cautioned against BJP’s tactics to manipulate voting figures and alleged threats by BJP leaders to IAS and IPS officers in West Bengal and vowed to resist any attempts to undermine the state’s integrity.
“Intimidation, threat and pressure by the Narendra Modi government on state ministers, officials or people will not work in Bengal,” she said.
