Adani News

Tag: West Bengal

  • West Bengal Celebrates ‘Poila Baisakh’ Despite Scorching Heatwaves

    West Bengal Celebrates ‘Poila Baisakh’ Despite Scorching Heatwaves

    Colourful processions were taken out in different localities in the morning, while devotees thronged the heritage Dakshineswar Temple, and Kali temple at Kalighat to offer puja and seek blessings for a happy and prosperous ‘Poila Baisakh’ (Bengali new year) on Saturday.

    Braving sweltering heat, men and women – dressed in ethnic wear – joined the ‘Prabhat Pheri’ (cultural procession in morning) singing the popular song of Tagore – ‘Hey Notun Dekha Dik Arbar’ (let the new greet us with new hopes) with colourful tableaux depicting the rural life of Bengal, palanquins, models of baul singers forming part of procession.

    Extending her wish for the people on the occasion, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted “On the occasion of Poila Boishakh, I extend my heartfelt greetings to all fellow residents.” “I wish the dawn of New Year brings an abundance of hope, happiness, & health in your lives. Today, let’s commit to the inclusive welfare and development of society. Subho Nobo Borsho” the CM said on the microblogging site.

    One of the processions, organised by Rajdanga Naba Uday Sangha, an award winning Durga Puja committee in the south, consisted of women in red bordered saree dancing to the accompaniment of Tagore song ‘Eso he Baisakh eso eso’ (invoking the month of Baisakh). Similar rallies were taken out in Gol Park-Rasbehari area and hub of cultural activities – the Academy of Fine Arts building.

    Ringing in the ‘Nababarsho’ (Bengali New year 1430) and setting the stage for the Durga Puja celebrations, TheThakurpukur S B Park Sarbojanin, another award winning Durga Puja committee, organised the ‘Khuti’ Puja, holding puja to commence setting up the marquee where the deity will be housed during the puja about six months from now.

    Customers were seen visiting the neighbourhood shops to ceremonially mark business transaction on the first day of the Bengali new year, which is called ‘Halkhata’, as crowds were seen before jewellery shops, cloth stores, sweet shops and others since the afternoon.

    In a historic move, Governor C V Ananda Bose decided to allow people ‘heritage walk’ through some parts of the Raj Bhavan on Saturday, built by the Britishers in 1803.

    Popular eateries like Bhajahari Manna, Saptapadi, 6 Ballygunje Place, Bhooter Raja Dilo Bar, Oh Calcutta, Kasturi among others rolled out delicacies like Bhetki Paturi, Bhapa ILish, Daab Chingri, Gandharaj Chicken, Doi Murgi, Doi lish, Mutton Dak Bungalow, Dhokar Dalna with chutney, papad, misti, payes.

    Despite sizzling heatwave like conditions, long lines were seen outside different outlets of the popular Bengali cuisine restaurant brands apart from countless small eateries across the city and state.

    The scale of celebrations despite heatwave like conditions were reminiscent of the pre-Covid days as the festivities were on a muted note in 2020-2021 and the pandemic effect were felt even in 2022. On the previous night processions with dazzling Chandernagore lighting were seen in different parts of the city on the last day of the month of ‘Chaitra’.

  • Bengal cattle scam: ED probing from ‘real estate investment’ angle

    Bengal cattle scam: ED probing from ‘real estate investment’ angle

    Kolkata (IANS) | The Enforcement Directorate (ED), probing the multi-crore cattle-smuggling case in West Bengal, is now trying to gather details and information on how the scam got crores of rupees invested in the real estate sector. A source in possession gave this information on Wednesday. The ED has already summoned Subrata Hazra, a private real estate promoter, to its Delhi office for questioning in this regard. Subrata Hazra is a Trinamool Congress strongman and a close confidante of the party’s Birbhum district president Anubrata Mandal.

    His wife is also a Trinamool Congress councilor in Bolpur municipality of Birbhum district. The sources also claimed that some specific leads had been received about a major part of the scam’s proceeds in the cattle-scam, which was being invested in real estate projects owned by Hazra.

    Meanwhile, Anubrata Mandal’s daughter Sukanya Mandal has defied ED’s summons to appear in Delhi for questioning for the third time. She was supposed to come to Delhi this week and face questioning. However, sources said that she has already sent a message to the ED expressing her inability to appear for questioning due to health reasons.

    Sukanya’s father is currently in judicial custody in Delhi’s Tihar Jail for his alleged involvement in the cattle smuggling scam. The ED wants to question Sukanya Mondal about the sources of funds in the two companies where she was a director, as well as the rice mills where she was a partner.

    ED sends summons to Sukanya and wants to interrogate her and Anubrata together.

    –IANS

  • Cattle smuggling scam: ED summons Anubrata Mandal’s daughter again

    Cattle smuggling scam: ED summons Anubrata Mandal’s daughter again

    Kolkata (IANS) | The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has again summoned Sukanya Mandal, daughter of Trinamool Congress stalwart Anubrata Mandal, to the agency’s headquarters in New Delhi for questioning in connection with the multi-crore cattle smuggling scam in West Bengal. This is the third time Sukanya Mondal has been called to the national capital for questioning after her father was taken to New Delhi in connection with the probe into the case. However, she did not appear on both the first occasions.

    Agency sources said that in the third summons, Sukanya Mandal has been asked to appear on April 12.

    His father Anubrata Mandal is in judicial custody in Tihar Jail.

    It is not yet clear whether Sukanya Mandal will respond to the third summons. The last time the ED called her to New Delhi, the agency officials had warned of strict legal action if she did not turn up. He was called to New Delhi for the first time on 15 March. Every time she told ED that she would not be able to go to Delhi due to health reasons.

    –IANS

  • Trinamool leader shot dead in broad daylight

    Trinamool leader shot dead in broad daylight

    Kolkata (IANS) | In a shocking incident at Hanskhali in West Bengal’s Nadia district, a local Trinamool Congress leader was shot dead in broad daylight by miscreants on Friday morning. The deceased has been identified as Amod Ali Biswas, who was Trinamool’s regional vice-president in Hanskhali.

    According to eyewitnesses, Biswas came to the market on Friday morning and ordered tea at the tea shop, which he used to do every day. Suddenly a group of eight bike-borne miscreants reached the spot and started firing indiscriminately at Biswas from close range. All the miscreants had covered their faces. A blood-soaked Biswas died on the spot, while the assailants fled the scene.

    The body has been sent for post-mortem with a large contingent of police patrolling the area as tension prevails in the area. Biswas’s family members claimed that he had been attacked in the past as well.

    Biswas’s wife said, his rivals in the area had attacked him thrice in the past. However, he managed to escape on all three occasions. Meanwhile, the political rhetoric in the state has started picking up since the murder. Senior state BJP leader Rahul Sinha said the murder was a result of factionalism and infighting in the Trinamool Congress.

    Sinha said, ahead of the upcoming panchayat elections, different factions of the ruling party are trying to establish their supremacy in different parts of the state, whose victims are often party insiders.

    On the other hand, Trinamool’s Rajya Sabha member Shantanu Sen claimed that goons from opposition parties were behind Biswas’s murder. He said, “Ahead of the panchayat elections, the opposition parties are deliberately trying to create unrest in the state.”

    –IANS

  • “Stay In Five-Star, Instigate Riots And Go…” Mamata Banerjee Targets BJP

    “Stay In Five-Star, Instigate Riots And Go…” Mamata Banerjee Targets BJP

    West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Centre alleging central forces came to the state to instigate riots.

    Mamata Banerjee was on a visit to Purba Medinipur on Monday where she distributed public welfare services to the people.

    Addressing the gathering here, Ms Banerjee said, “Here the Central Forces came, stayed in a five-star hotel, instigated riots. They then held a meeting with BJP people and returned. Before their arrival, first of all ask should them where is the money for 100 days of employment (MGNREGA)? First tell that, then come to Bengal to incite riots.”

    CM Banerjee urged the people to not vote for BJP in the upcoming Panchayat polls and 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

    “I will do everything for you (people), but you are requested not to support BJP, the party that creates riots, in Panchayat and 2024 elections,” she added.

    Notably, ruckus and stone pelting erupted during the BJP’s Shobha yatra in Hooghly on Sunday. Earlier on Thursday, several vehicles were set on fire after two groups clashed in Howrah amid Ram Navami celebrations.

  • Howrah Ram Navami clash: Trinamool questions Raj Bhavan’s decision to set up a separate special cell

    Howrah Ram Navami clash: Trinamool questions Raj Bhavan’s decision to set up a separate special cell

    Kolkata (IANS)| The Trinamool Congress on Saturday questioned West Bengal Governor CV Anand Bose’s decision to set up a special cell for real-time monitoring of the situation in Howrah’s Shibpur-Kajipara area, which witnessed clashes over Ram Navami processions that began on Thursday. The wake continued till Friday afternoon.

    On Friday late evening, the Governor along with State Chief Secretary H.K. Dwivedi and state home secretary B.P. After taking a detailed report from Gopalika about the situation in the tense area, a strongly worded statement was issued by the Raj Bhavan announcing the decision to set up this special monitoring cell.

    The Governor ordered real-time monitoring of the situation and constituted a special cell for the same, a Raj Bhavan statement said.

    The statement also mentioned a confidential discussion between the Governor and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to review the situation.

    On Saturday, Trinamool Congress state general secretary and party spokesperson in West Bengal Kunal Ghosh said it was not clear whether the decision to set up a special monitoring cell was just a verbal announcement or a formal notification in the matter.

    Casting doubt on whether such a cell can be set up by the Raj Bhavan, Ghosh expressed apprehension that if the said cell receives information from independent or private sources, doubts will remain whether the information received was authentic. Or not.

    However, BJP’s state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya has justified the formation of special monitoring cell by Raj Bhavan.

    Bhattacharya said, as the constitutional head of the state, it is the duty of the governor to protect the democratic rights of the citizens of the state. Therefore, he is within his bounds to order the opening of the cell, just as he sought a status report from the Chief Secretary of the State and the Home Secretary of the State.

    –IANS

  • My dharna is as Trinamool leader, not as chief minister: Mamta

    My dharna is as Trinamool leader, not as chief minister: Mamta

    Kolkata (IANS)| West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has clarified that her two-day sit-in protest, which began on Wednesday, against non-payment of central dues to the state government on various heads, is being led by her as a representative of the Trinamool Congress, not her. that as Chief Minister. He said- I have two portfolios together. The first is from the Chief Minister of West Bengal. So I have to see whether the people of the state are deprived or not. I have another portfolio as the National President of All India Trinamool Congress. Now Trinamool Congress is the ruling party in the state. That’s why I am organizing this program on behalf of the party and not on behalf of the state government. I am doing double duty. I want to make it clear that not a single penny is being spent from the State Government exchequer for the operation of this programme.

    Incidentally, last week, when Banerjee announced her decision to organize this sit-in demonstration, she said that she would participate in the movement as chief minister. Incidentally, it was then believed that the Chief Minister would stage a sit-in protest at the base of BR Ambedkar’s statue in New Delhi. However, later he himself clarified that the event would be held at the Ambedkar statue on Red Road, Kolkata.

    Shubhendu Adhikari, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, said that perhaps the Chief Minister realized later or was alerted by his party colleagues that as per the provisions of the Constitution no one sworn in for that chair should participate in such a sit-in demonstration. can take “Our chief minister has no regard for constitutional provisions,” he alleged.

    –IANS

  • Supporting GST was our biggest mistake: Mamata Banerjee

    Supporting GST was our biggest mistake: Mamata Banerjee

    Kolkata (IANS) | Trinamool Congress National President and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said that the Trinamool Congress’s biggest mistake was to support the central government to implement the Goods and Services Tax (GSR). Inaugurating the rural-road network at Singur in Hooghly district, he said- After the implementation of GST, the central government is taking all the money from the state without releasing the state’s share on this count. Our biggest mistake was to support the central government in implementing GST. We thought that this would benefit the state. But now the central government has stopped releasing all funds under various centrally sponsored schemes from MNREGA to PMAY.

    Banerjee said that from Wednesday she is going to protest in front of the BR Ambedkar statue on Red Road in Kolkata which will continue till 7 pm on Thursday. He claimed – I was on hunger strike for 14 days in Singur demanding return of land to reluctant farmers. Later, after coming to power, we returned that land to the farmers of Singur. The farmers of Singur gave full support to our movement on this issue.

    Banerjee also said that a rural road network of 9,000 km would be set up under the state’s rural road development plans, apart from upgrading 12,000 km of existing rural roads. He also claimed that his government has set a target to complete the project before the upcoming monsoon.

    He said, Singur has always been close to my heart and hence I decided to start this program from here.

    –IANS

  • DA issue: Agitating Bengal government employees will send a mass email to the President

    DA issue: Agitating Bengal government employees will send a mass email to the President

    Kolkata (IANS) | A day after President Draupadi Murmu arrived in Kolkata on Monday to attend the annual convocation ceremony of Visva Bharati University in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, state government employees took to the streets against non-payment of dearness allowance. Arriar has decided to greet them with a massive email outlining their demands in the matter. According to a spokesperson of the Joint Forum of State Government Employees, in a massive email, the forum will also highlight how the state government is resorting to ‘vindictive’ show-cause notices and transferring employees, who participated in the strike called by it on 10 March.

    In a mass email to the President, the Forum will also seek his intervention in resolving the ongoing impasse on the issue.

    A spokesperson of the United Forum said that a similar email would be sent to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the same day in this matter.

    The United Forum has already announced that they will go on a mass holiday on March 30, apart from organizing a mega protest rally on the streets of Kolkata on the same day.

    On the other hand, the Manch will organize a two-day sit-in demonstration from April 10 at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. The ‘Digital Disobedience’ movement is already being demonstrated by the State Government employees against the State Government on Dearness Allowance.

    Earlier, they observed a one-day strike and a two-day pen-down strike over the issue.

    –IANS

  • DA crisis: Employees call off fast, continuing with other forms of protests

    DA crisis: Employees call off fast, continuing with other forms of protests

    Kolkata (IANS) | The United Forum of State Government Employees, which is spearheading the agitation against non-payment of dearness allowance dues by the West Bengal government, on Saturday called off the relay fast, continuing with other forms of protests. However, the Manch representatives clarified that only the relay fast has been called off and that too temporarily, while other forms of protests, including non-cooperation with the state government, will continue.

    According to United Forum spokesperson Tapas Chakraborty, the decision to call off the relay fast has been taken after several protesters fell ill, some of whom had to be hospitalised.

    Many people were suffering from kidney problems, he said. Therefore, in view of the evolving situation, we have decided to call off the strike temporarily.

    However, another agitator Tapas Sinha said that the decision to call off the fast after 44 days of starting the agitation is temporary and if needed, they will launch a similar agitation in future.

    The United Forum has already announced that they will go on a mass holiday on March 30 and organize a massive protest rally on the streets of Kolkata on the same day.

    On the other hand, the Manch will organize a two-day sit-in demonstration from April 10 at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. The ‘Digital Disobedience’ movement is already being demonstrated by the state government employees against the state government on the DA issue.

    Show cause notices have already been served to some of the state government employees who participated in the one-day strike. On Tuesday, a crucial hearing on the DA issue in the Supreme Court was adjourned till April 11.

    –IANS