Mamata Banerjee

TMC suspends ex-MP Santanu Sen, ex-MLA Arabul Islam over internal discord

The ruling TMC on Friday suspended its former Rajya Sabha MP Santanu Sen and ex-MLA Arabul Islam for alleged "anti-party activities", the party's vice-president Jayprakash Majumdar said. The action comes as the party continues to grapple with internal discord. Sen, a doctor by profession and seen as a loyalist of TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, had criticised the police for its investigation into the rape and murder of the medic at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. His vocal stand on the issue created a furore within the party, especially given his close ties to the young leader. He could not be reached for comment. Islam, on the other side, has been in the news for all the wrong reasons over the years. A leader from Bhangore on the outskirts of Kolkata, his tiff with party MLA Saukat Mollah has often resulted in embarrassment for the top leadership. The suspensions signal the TMC leadership's effort to restore discipline within the ranks in the run-up to

Mamata successful in forming party which even Netaji couldn't: TMC leader

Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kunal Ghosh said party supremo Mamata Banerjee succeeded in forming a popular political party, something even Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose could not achieve in parliamentary politics. Bose had formed the All India Forward Bloc in 1939 after resigning from the Congress. "He is a historically significant freedom fighter but was unsuccessful in parliamentary politics after forming a party," Ghosh said on Sunday, claiming it is rare for someone to successfully form a popular political party after leaving the Congress. He alleged that the Congress failed to recognise Banerjee's indomitable fighting spirit. Banerjee was expelled from the Congress in 1997 following differences with the party leadership. "But the people of Bengal did not accept her expulsion from the Congress, and that is why they gave her party the status it deserved," Ghosh said. Ghosh's comments came after former state Congress president Pradip Bhattacharya claimed on Saturday that Banerje

Bengal LoP Suvendu Adhikari slams CM Mamata on blaming BSF for infiltration

Adhikari accused Banerjee of indulging in 'low-level politics' by blaming the BSF for infiltration, stating that the security forces serve the nation, not the government

Police arrests five in connection with Malda TMC councillor murder

Police on Saturday said they have so far arrested five persons in connection with the murder of Malda English Bazar Trinamool Congress councillor Dulal Sarkar. Sarkar, described by West Bengal Chief Minister Banerjee as a close associate of hers and a popular leader, was shot dead by miscreants in Malda district on Thursday morning. Two men were arrested on Friday after apprehending three others on the day of the murder, taking the total number of arrests in the case to five, a senior police officer said. The arrested accused persons were identified by the police as Bihar's Katihar district natives Sameer Akhtar, Mohammad Abdul Gani and Malda residents Tinku Ghosh, Abhijeet Ghosh and Amit Raja. Sarkar was shot in the head multiple times from close range after chasing him into a shop in English Bazar town's Jhaljhalia More, when he tried to flee the bike-borne assailants, according to the police. The TMC supremo expressed shock over the killing of Sarkar, who was popular by his ...

Odisha CM blames TMC govt for potato crisis, says Mamata has no 'mamata'

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday targeted Mamata Benerjee, his counterpart in neighbouring West Bengal, and the previous BJD government for the potato crisis in the state. Not self-sufficient in potato production, Odisha depends a lot on West Bengal for its requirement for the tuber and faces problems when the neighbouring state stops supplying the produce to cater to its home demand. While addressing an agricultural event here, Majhi and Deputy Chief Minister K V Singh Deo slammed Benerjee for the potato scarcity in Odisha. Facing potato crisis in Odisha, we have talked to Mamata Didi, but in vain. She settles a score on us at the appropriate time. There is no mamata' (affection) in Mamata Didi for Odisha, Majhi said. The CM, however, did not elaborate on how Banerjee is settling a score. The chief minister also blamed the previous BJD government which he accused of failing to make Odisha self-sufficient in potato and onion production. During the last six month

TMC councillor gunned down in Bengal's Malda, CM Mamata expresses shock

Trinamool Congress councillor Dulal Sarkar was shot dead by unidentified miscreants in West Bengal's Malda district on Thursday morning, police said. Sarkar, the TMC councillor from Malda, was shot in his head multiple times from close range by bike-borne assailants at Jhaljhalia More area, they said. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he succumbed to injuries. A probe has been initiated and we are trying to identify the culprits, a senior police officer told PTI. Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee expressed shock over the killing of Sarkar, who was popularly known as Babla. My close associate and a very popular leader, Babla Sarkar, has been murdered today. From the beginning of the Trinamool Congress, he (and his wife Chaitali Sarkar) worked hard for the party, and Babla was also elected a councillor, she said in a post on X. ... I am so shocked and sad that I do not know how to convey my condolences to the bereaved family. May God give Chaitali strength to sur

Mamata demands crackdown on illegal encroachment by builders on govt land

Alleging that government land was being encroached by builders from outside the state to build flats, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday slammed officials who were sanctioning such illegal constructions. Banerjee, who chaired an administrative review meeting at the state secretariat, directed police to arrest all such builders in accordance with the law and, in a few cases, "attach their properties like the way the CBI and ED do." She proposed forming a policy to impose penalties on those who were living in such flats for years. "I am talking about illegal occupancy of land owned by state government departments such as panchayat, forest, and urban affairs. I do not want further encroachments. The culprits come from outside, construct flats illegally and then leave. Arrest them from wherever you can and impose 100 per cent penalty. Attach their property like the way ED and CBI do," she said. She asserted that police would conduct a probe and all leaders behind su

Mamata accuses BSF of infiltration plot; border guards reject claim

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused the Border Security Force of facilitating infiltration from Bangladesh as part of a central government "blueprint" to destabilize the state, a charge the BSF denied, asserting it diligently guards the country's boundary. Speaking at an administrative review meeting at the state secretariat, Banerjee alleged that the BSF was allowing infiltrators to enter through areas like Islampur, Sitai, and Chopra. "We have information that the BSF is letting infiltrators enter India through various border areas. This is a deliberate attempt to destabilize the state. There is a deep-rooted conspiracy involving the central government," she said. Banerjee said she could sense a "blueprint of the Centre" behind this attitude of the BSF. "Goons are entering India. I want peace on both sides of the border. We have a good relationship with neighbouring Bangladesh," she said. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo further alleged that women

Mamata Banerjee alleges BSF letting 'Bangladeshi terrorists' enter Bengal

Calling it the 'blueprint' of central government, Mamata Banerjee alleged that the BSF was allowing 'Bangladeshi terrorists' to cross the border to create instability in West Bengal

Chhattisgarh, West Bengal lead in social welfare expenditure in rural areas

Data showed that the monthly per capita consumption expenditure (MPCE), taking into account imputed values, stood at Rs 4,247

Fake passport scam: Bengal DGP urges MEA to strengthen verification process

West Bengal Director General of Police (DGP) Rajeev Kumar on Sunday said that he had written to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) urging a total overhauling of the verification and distribution of new passports to combat misuse. Kolkata Police recently unearthed a fake passport racket and arrested at least eight persons for their alleged involvement in it. Talking to reporters, the IPS officer said in the letter to the MEA, they also pointed out software issues and proposed the idea of superintendents of police personally conducting the verification process. "We have written to the MEA requesting them to strengthen the passport verification system. We have proposed a new system where the district intelligence branch (DIB), local police stations, and senior officers will have a more significant role," Kumar said. "In the letter, we have also expressed our concerns about the distribution of passports through post offices. All the agencies must collaborate to address these ...

Suvendu Adhikari accuses TMC of 'ration scam', urges ED to launch probe

Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal assembly and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday targeted the Trinamool Congress-led West Bengal government, alleging scam in the ration distribution.Launching an attack in a post on X, he said that the multi-crore ration distribution "scam" is still going on in West Bengal despite the arrest of former Food and Supplies Minister Jyotipriya Mallick and his aides.He claimed that the rice meant to be distributed through the Public Distribution System (PDS) is sent to privately owned rice mills and further polished to sell in the open market.He shared a video of a rice mill, which he alleged was polishing the rice meant to be distributed through the Public Distribution System (PDS)."This video illustrates how the multi-crore Ration Distribution Scam is still going on in West Bengal despite the arrest of former Food & Supplies Minister Jyotipriya Mallick and his aides," Adikari wrote in his X post."First of all, tonnes of rice meant to .

Mamata Banerjee inaugurates Infosys development centre in Kolkata

IT giant Infosys on Wednesday inaugurated a development centre built at a cost of Rs 426 crore at New Town near here. Inaugurating the development centre, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, "This is a New Year gift to West Bengal". "This centre of Infosys will help other IT companies to come to West Bengal. West Bengal is a leading IT state in the country. Nearly 2,200 IT companies have presence in the state, including big ones like TCS, Wipro, IBM and Accenture," she said. The chief minister also said it is a historic day for the state. Banerjee said, "We wanted Infosys in the state and the company fulfilled our dreams." The chief minister said a new Silicon Valley is coming to New Town on 200 acres with the potential to create 75,000 jobs involving an investment of Rs 27,000 crore. "Twenty-eight companies have already started work with 11 data centres coming up," she said. The Infosys campus, built on 50 acres, will have an employment potential of 4,000 IT professionals. Ba

Mamata launches housing scheme, transfers funds to 1.2 mn beneficiaries

Accusing the Centre of not sending funds for the 'Awas Yojana' for the last three years to the state, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday launched 'Banglar Bari', a scheme funded entirely by her government. She said that over 28 lakh genuine beneficiaries were identified in a survey conducted by the state for the 'Banglar Bari' scheme for which a total of Rs 1.2 lakh would be transferred to them by next December. During the day, funds of Rs 60,000 were transferred to the bank accounts of 12 lakh beneficiaries in the first instalment, the chief minister said. "My life is dedicated to working for people. Today, in the interest of the people of rural Bengal, I launched the 'Banglar Bari' project. The first instalment of Rs 60,000 was transferred directly through the bank to 12 lakh beneficiaries to build houses," Banerjee said. "The Centre had already surveyed around 36 lakh families. We also conducted one survey. A draft list was also published and their claims and

Politics in 2024: Lotus blooms in North; South witnesses a 'son' rise

The year 2024 not just reshaped the Indian politics, but also forced the political thinkers to come up with new explanations to describe the electoral behaviour

Nothing less than capital punishment for rape convict, says Mamata

She also recalled the previous instance, where the court handed capital punishment to the convict in Joynagar in 62 days

Minister's post does not entitle someone to special bail consideration: SC

Holding a minister's post does not entitle a person for a special consideration for the grant of bail, the Supreme Court said on Friday, asserting that "official positions, regardless of their stature, lose relevance for the purpose of exercising judicial discretion judiciously". A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, which granted conditional future bail to former West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee in a money-laundering case related to the alleged cash-for-jobs scam in the state, said impartiality is a prerequisite to the rule of law, wherein decisions are based on the factual matrix of a case as opposed to an individual's position or influence. It rejected Chatterjee's argument seeking special consideration for the grant of bail on the ground that he was entitled for the relief as he was a minister at the relevant time. "In this context, the argument that the appellant's position as a minister entitles him to any special consideration does not hold merit from either

Political business: INDIA demands Mamata, moves against Jagdeep Dhankhar

INDIA bloc leaders demand Mamata Banerjee's leadership, Opposition moves to impeach Jagdeep Dhankhar, and more in this week's political news wrap

Must save minorities in Bangladesh, bring them back: Mamata to Centre

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said the Centre must give protection to minorities in violence-hit Bangladesh, and bring back those willing to return. Banerjee also claimed that fake videos were being purposefully circulated, as certain sections were trying to foment communal tension. "We want protection for minorities in Bangladesh. The Union government must act. It should also bring back those who want to return to India," she told reporters here. The CM is on a two-day trip to Digha to review the construction of the Jagannath temple. Bangladesh's minority Hindus, who constitute about 8 per cent of the 170 million population, have faced attacks in 50-odd districts since the fall of Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government on August 5.

Lalu Prasad joins Oppn chorus to back Mamata for heading INDIA bloc

The Assembly elections in Bihar are less than a year away, and Congress sources attributed Prasad's comments as a tactic to pressure their party during the forthcoming seat-sharing negotiations