Hooghly : TMC General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee speaks during Lok Sabha constituency's election committee meeting, in Hooghly on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. (Photo: IANS/@AITCofficial)
Ghosh stated that such attacks are tactics employed by those unable to defeat Mamata Banerjee, Abhishek Banerjee, and the TMC….reports Asian Lite News
Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh on Wednesday reacted sharply to the alleged assassination attempt on TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, saying that “BJP has a history of mass killing and murder.”
Speaking to ANI, Kunal Ghosh said, “BJP has a history of mass killing and murder so they can’t show themselves as clean by throwing mud at some other party. There have been attacks against Mamata Banerjee earlier and to attack Abhishek Banerjee one person had come here but Kolkata police caught him.”
Alleging political rivalry in the case, Ghosh stated that such attacks are tactics employed by those unable to defeat Mamata Banerjee, Abhishek Banerjee, and the TMC.
“This is not a matter of politics. Those who can’t win against Mamata Banerjee, Abhishek Banerjee, and TMC, are finding another way to attack. The man who has been arrested has hinted towards a bigger conspiracy,” he said.
Earlier on April 24, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claimed a BJP leader wanted to kill her nephew Abhishek Banerjee.
“One of the Gaddars (TMC turncoats) in the BJP said they would lob an explosive. If you hold a grudge against me, bomb me all you want. But you tried to kill Abhishek. However, we came to know of it in advance,” the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo said at a public meeting at Birbhum.
The TMC supremo further claimed that the BJP would have shot her nephew if the latter had given them an appointment.
“They (BJP) even conducted a recce at his house, called him, asking for an appointment. Had Abhishek given him time, he would have shot and fled,” Mamata said.
On April 22, Kolkata Police claimed to have apprehended a person associated with the 2008 Mumbai attacks, who was reportedly conducting surveillance of the residence and office of Abhishek Banerjee. (ANI)
A delegation of Trinamool Congress leaders, who were detained on April 8 from the Election Commission office here, sat on a protest throughout the night in the Mandir Marg police station premises despite police releasing them the same day…reports Asian Lite News
Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders who were earlier detained for protesting outside the Election Commission of India (ECI) sat inside the premises of Mandir Marg Police Station pressing their demands to change the chiefs of the CBI, NIA, ED and Income Tax Department.
As per Delhi police, the 10-member delegation of Trinamool Congress leaders were detained on Monday following a protest outside the Election Commission of India over their demands in the national capital. The Opposition leaders were brought to Mandir Marg Police Station partway through their agitation and later asked to leave at night but the delegation did not leave and instead sat inside the premises all through the night.
“We released them yesterday but they did not leave,” said a police official. Those who staged the protest included five TMC MPs Derek O’Brien, Mohammad Nadimul Haq, Dola Sen, Saket Gokhale and Sagarika Ghosh. At the same time, three former MPs Arpita Ghosh, Shantanu Sen and Abir Ranjan Biswas were present. Apart from this, MLA Vivek Gupta and TMC youth leader Sudeep Raha were also protesting. A 10-member delegation went to the Election Commission’s office on Monday and submitted a memorandum highlighting that “BJP and NIA have been working hand-in-glove to selectively target and harass our party workers”.
TMC urged the poll body to change the chiefs of Enforcement Directorate, Central Bureau of Investigation, Income Tax Department and National Investigation Agency. After being detained, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien said that they are ready to fight the “BJP’s dictatorship”. TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee also said that NIA Director and other officials should be removed by the poll body.
TMC MP Dola Sen also said, “We have appealed to the Election Commission to change the chiefs of NIA, CBI, ED and Income Tax and we are sitting on a 24-hour peaceful protest with this demand. Earlier, the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, approached the Governor and top state officials on Monday to request the extension of central forces’ deployment beyond the Model Code of Conduct period. Citing the need to ensure the safety of citizens and uphold democratic values, he urged officials to extend the deployment by three months to ensure public safety and protect constitutional integrity. (ANI)
Gujarat CEC sends invitations to 20.3 lakh women voters
The Chief Electoral Officer of Gujarat, P Bharathi, is extending a unique invitation to voters, particularly women, to participate in the upcoming grand festival of democracy.
Over 20.3 lakh invitation cards will be dispatched to encourage an increased turnout of women voters at 13,000 polling stations across the state.
In the spirit of India’s unity in diversity and its tradition of inviting others to celebrate occasions, P Bharathi is sending out these invitations to voters, urging them to cast their votes with their families, the information department Gujarat stated.
The aim is to enhance the participation of women voters at more than 13,000 polling stations where the difference in voter turnout between men and women is more than 10 per cent, and where the overall voter turnout is less than 50 per cent compared to the previous Legislative Assembly elections.
District Development Officers at the rural level and Deputy Municipal Commissioners at the urban level have been appointed as Nodal Officers of the Turnout Implementation Plan (TIP) to increase voter turnout at these polling stations.
To further increase women’s voter turnout, around 20.3 lakh invitation cards will be sent out across the state, requesting families to vote together.
The Chief Electoral Officer, Bharthi, has appealed to women voters to take time out of their busy schedules to vote with their families and inspire others to do the same through these invitation cards.
In addition, all district election officers have been instructed to conduct Chunav Pathshalas at all polling stations to discuss the reasons for low voter turnout and to make efforts to ensure that the maximum number of citizens exercise their right to vote.
Street meetings are organised by Asha workers, Anganwadi workers, Booth Level Officers, School Principals, Talatis, Gram Sevaks, non-political social leaders of villages and members of self-help groups under Chunav Pathshalas, where attendees will be encouraged to pledge to vote with their families for maximum voting turnout in the upcoming Lok Sabha General Elections-2024.
The BJP whitewashed the Congress in the 2014 and 2019 general elections by winning all 26 constituencies in Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Gujarat will vote for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in a single phase on May 7 across all the 26 parliamentary constituencies in the state. The counting of votes is slated for June 4
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won all 26 seats with a vote share of 63.1 per cent while the Congress party bagged 32.6 per cent vote share.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party registered victory in all 26 seats with a vote share of 60.1 per cent whereas Congress received 33.5 per cent of votes. (ANI)
Although Tapas Roy resigned as a Trinamool legislator on Monday, his resignation is yet to be accepted by Assembly Speaker Biman Bandopadhyay….reports Asian Lite News
Ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, former Trinamool Congress leader and veteran politician Tapas Roy, who had resigned both from his Assembly post and primary party membership on March 4, officially joined the BJP on Wednesday afternoon.
Roy was welcomed into the saffron camp by state BJP President and Lok Sabha member Sukanta Majumdar, and leader of opposition in the state Assembly Suvendu Adhikari, who handed over the party flag to him.
“From today, I am part of the BJP family and as long as I live, I will continue to be here. I will try to work as directed by the BJP leadership with equal sincerity, something which I have done all through my political career.
“It was impossible for me to continue in the Trinamool Congress, which is running the state government without caring for the minimum democratic decorum. Trinamool has become a party dominated by anti-social elements like Sheikh Shahjahan, Shibu Hazra and Uttam Sardar. So, I have consciously quit the Trinamool and joined the BJP,” Roy said.
Although Roy resigned as a Trinamool legislator on Monday, his resignation is yet to be accepted by Assembly Speaker Biman Bandopadhyay.
According to the Speaker, there were some technical mistakes in the resignation letter of Roy, who has been asked to submit a revised letter on Thursday.
Reacting to Roy joining the BJP, rebel Trinamool leader Kunal Ghosh, who continues to be the party’s state General Secretary, said that had the ruling party leadership taken initiatives at the right time, the exit of a senior leader like Roy could have been avoided.
“Personally, Roy joining the BJP is a matter of immense pain,” Ghosh said.
Before resigning from Trinamool, Roy had said that although Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had initially defended Sheikh Shahjahan on the floor of the House over the attack on ED team at Sandeshkhali on January 5, she was silent about the central agency’s raid at his residence in Kolkata in connection with the multi-crore municipalities’ recruitment case, which “saddened” him “immensely”.
He had also claimed that the ED operation at his place was orchestrated by the leader of Trinamool Congress in the Lok Sabha, Sudip Bandopadhyay.
‘TMC not formed to shape Bengal this way’
Ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, former Trinamool Congress leader Tapas Roy, who had resigned both from his Assembly post and from the party on Sunday, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday.
After joining the BJP, the former TMC leader said that there are several reasons for leaving the TMC, adding that the party was not formed to shape Bengal this way.
Tapas Roy joined the BJP in the presence of West Bengal LoP and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari and West Bengal BJP chief Sukant Majumdar at the BJP party office in Kolkata.
Tapas Roy said, “There are several reasons for leaving (TMC), like lawlessness, Sandeshkhali and the tears of mothers and sisters. I could not tolerate all of this. TMC was not formed to shape Bengal this way.”
While tendering his resignation on Sunday, the Baranagar MLA said that he resigned because he felt that he was not respected in the party. Tapas Roy is also the Deputy Whip of TMC.
“I resigned because I felt that I was not respected in this party, many times such situations arose where I felt this. The ED team reached my house on January 12th, it has been many days since the incident took place but no sympathy or cooperation has been received from the party,” he said earlier. (IANS/ANI)
Tripura Oppn TMP to Join BJP-led Ministry
After year-long hectic parleys and five days after signing a tripartite agreement with the Centre and the Tripura government, the opposition Tipra Motha Party (TMP) will join the BJP-led coalition government in the state on Thursday, adding a new twist to Tripura’s politics.
Sources said that Opposition leader & senior TMP legislator Animesh Debbarma and party MLA Brishaketu Debbarma are expected to take oath as Cabinet ministers at the Raj Bhavan on Thursday.
Governor Indra Sena Reddy Nallu will administer the oath and secrecy to the new ministers.
“Chief Minister Manik Saha was scheduled to leave for Malda in West Bengal on Wednesday to attend a political event. However, the Chief Minister changed his schedule and would go to West Bengal after the swearing-in-ceremony of ministers on Thursday morning,” a source said.
Meanwhile, a senior BJP leader, while speaking to IANS, denied reports which suggested that one or two MLAs from the ruling BJP are also likely to be included in the Council of Ministers headed by Chief Minister Saha.
Since the BJP-led alliance assumed charge for the second consecutive term on March 8 last year, three ministerial berths have been lying vacant.
Another tribal-based party, the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT), is also an ally of the BJP-led government, and its lone MLA Sukla Charan Noatia is a Cabinet minister in charge of Cooperation, Tribal Welfare (TRP and PTG) and Welfare of Minorities Departments.
The TMP, in its maiden electoral battle in the February 16 Assembly polls held last year, had fielded 42 candidates, including 20 on the tribal reserved seats.
The party had won 13 seats with a vote share of 19.69 per cent, as it highlighted its demand for ‘Greater Tipraland’ or a separate state for the tribals under Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution.
After the Assembly polls, the TMP with overwhelming dominance among the tribals, became the second-largest party in the state to secure the main opposition party status.
After wresting power in the politically-crucial Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) in April 2021, the TMP intensified its agitation in support of its ‘Greater Tipraland’ demand, which has been strongly opposed by the ruling BJP, Left Front, Congress, Trinamool Congress and other parties.
The TTAADC, which has jurisdiction over two-thirds of Tripura’s 10,491 sq km area, and is home to over 12,16,000 people, of which around 84 per cent are tribals, is, in terms of its political significance, the second most important constitutional body in the state after the Tripura Assembly.
On March 2, the TMP had signed a tripartite agreement with the Centre and the Tripura government in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha and others.
According to the agreement, a Joint Working Group/Committee would be formed to work out and implement the mutually-agreed issues in a time-bound manner to ensure an ‘honourable’ solution to tribals’ demands.
“The agreement was signed amicably to resolve all the issues of the indigenous people of Tripura relating to their history, land rights, political rights, economic development, identity, culture, language etc.,” the agreement said.
He also confirmed that a major reshuffle at the district-level party leadership has been carried out by inducting young faces with a clean image in their respective areas…reports Asian Lite News
Ahead of the panchayat elections in West Bengal scheduled next year, Trinamool Congress on Monday carried out a major reshuffle in its district-level organisations.
Party sources said the reshuffle is also aimed at sending a signal to the party cdres at all levels to distancing themselves from corrupt practices in the backdrop of the recent developments related to the arrest of former state minister Partha Chatterjee and his close aide Arpita Mukherjee in connection with the multi- crore teacher recruitment scam.
During a brief interaction with the senior members of her cabinet on Monday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made a subtle reference to Chatterjee’s arrest by the ED.
“She did not take the name of Partha Chatterjee directly. But whatever she said was a clear instruction that she would not tolerate her party leaders being drawn into any case of corruption or financial embezzlement. She asked everyone present in the meeting not to do anything that could malign the image of the party,” said a senior member of the state cabinet on condition of anonymity.
He also confirmed that a major reshuffle at the district-level party leadership has been carried out by inducting young faces with a clean image in their respective areas.
“As the Chief Minister said, a cabinet reshuffle will be effected on Wednesday wherein young faces with a clean image will be inducted,” the state cabinet member said.
It is learnt that major reshuffles have been carried out in districts like Cooch Behar, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur, Nadia and North 24 Parganas, where the district presidents have been changed.
A couple of district presidents might get berths in the reshuffled cabinet on Wednesday, party sources said.
“The reshuffle at the district level also became necessary as the Chief Minister announced on Monday that seven new districts will be formed by bifurcating Murshidabad, Bankura, North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas,” the state cabinet member said.
Soon the number of districts in West Bengal will increase to 30 from the existing 23. The seven new districts will be Sunderban, Basirhat, Bishnupur, Ichamati, Ranaghat, Berhampore and Kandi.
Listing the social welfare measures of the BJP government in the state, Fadnavis said, “Goa’s social security expenditure has increased by six times to Rs 903 crore from Rs 191 crore in 2012 when we came to power.”…reports Asian Lite News
Former Maharashtra Chief Minister and BJP in-charge for Goa, Devendra Fadnavis, on Thursday lashed out at the opposition parties and said that Trinamool Congress came to the coastal state with a ‘suitcase’ to expand the party thinking Goa is a market and the leaders are for sale.
Fadnavis also claimed that people of the state have rejected the aggressive politics of Trinamool.
“Trinamool Congress came to Goa and formed an alliance with the MGP (Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party). Goa has already rejected Trinamool’s aggressive politics. The party came to Goa with a suitcase to expand its base as if Goa is a market and the leaders of the state are for sale. But leaders are not for sale in Goa,” Fadnavis said.
Referring to the post poll-violence in West Bengal last year, Fadnavis said, “People of Goa are not trusting Trinamool for its anti-Hindu, anti-national and anti-democratic stance. Such politics is not suitable for Goa. It created resentment in the Trinamool alliance due to which many MGP leaders are joining the BJP.”
Hitting out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Fadnavis said, “AAP is a party of lies. It stands on the foundation of lies and that’s why Goans rejected them in the last Assembly polls. AAP’s lies and false promises have been exposed in Delhi.”
Talking about the BJP government in Goa, Fadnavis said, “BJP has brought stability and development in the state. It has given stable government and development to the state. Today, BJP is working to fulfil the dream of a golden Goa as seen by (late) Manohar Parrikar.”
Listing the social welfare measures of the BJP government in the state, Fadnavis said, “Goa’s social security expenditure has increased by six times to Rs 903 crore from Rs 191 crore in 2012 when we came to power.”
He mentioned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi allocated Rs 4,000 crore for Goa for infrastructure development in five years between 2014 and 2019, while during the UPA tenure from 2009 to 2014, only Rs 120 crore was released by the Centre.
Last week, the Centre announced to decrease excise duty on petrol and diesel lowering the petrol prices by Rs 5 and diesel price by Rs 10…reports Asian Lite News
A war of words ensued between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP over West Bengal’s decision not to slash Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel even after 19 NDA ruled states decided to accept the Centre’s proposal to cut the state tax revenue on fuel.
Last week, the Centre announced to decrease excise duty on petrol and diesel lowering the petrol prices by Rs 5 and diesel price by Rs 10. The centre also urged the states to reduce VAT (a revenue enjoyed by the state) on fuel so as to give further relief to the people.
In line with the Centre’s announcement, 22 NDA ruled states have reduced VAT but 14 states including Punjab, Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, West Bengal decided not to slash prices triggering political controversy.
Fuel price hike continues for the sixth consecutive day
According to experts the selling price of oil is dependent on the base price plus excise duty, transportation cost and VAT imposed by the states. Presently the West Bengal government charges VTA of 25 per cent for petrol and 17 per cent for diesel.
“The Centre has decided to decrease the price of oil to give relief to the people and now it is the responsibility of the states to do the same thing. So long they were saying that it was because of the centre that the price of oil is not coming down and now what are they going to say? They need to understand the plight of the people else we will have to go for a bigger movement,” BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh said.
Trinamool Congress MP Sougata Roy said: “This is unfair. The centre is now trying to put pressure on the states to reduce VAT. It is the individual decision of the states to decide on the issue. The centre cannot force us to do so. Some states have reduced VAT. It is their choice. We have not and that is our decision”.
Trinamool Congress spokesperson of the state, Kunal Ghosh said: “They have reduced excise duty. This is a temporary solution. We want a permanent solution. We ask the centre to reduce the base price of oil else nothing is going to work. Let them first sacrifice the excess money they are getting then they will ask us to reduce our portion of the revenue.
“We also demand for a restructuring of the centre-state tax structure.”
“I heartily welcome the decision taken by the Govt of India to reduce the excise duty levied on petrol by Rs 5 and diesel by Rs. 10. A Diwali gift to the nation by the Prime Minister. Now the West Bengal government should follow suit and slash state Tax to further bring down the rates,” BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said.
Refuting the allegation that the Centre has reduced the price because of the 2022 Assembly elections, state BJP President Sukanta Majumdar said: “This is not correct. There is no election at present. We were waiting for the reduction of the price of crude oil in the international market but that didn’t happen and so we reduced the price to give relief to the people.
“If we had done it before the election then we could have gained some advantage but now there is no election and the question of getting advantage doesn’t arise.”
The Congress won all three Assembly constituencies — Arki, Fatehpur and Jubbal-Kotkhai — of Himachal Pradesh…reports Asian Lite News.
The results of the bypolls to three Lok Sabha seats and 29 Assembly constituencies have been encouraging for the Congress in the states of Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka where the party is now better placed than the BJP.
In the three Lok Sabha seats, the result shows that the BJP has won in Khandwa (Madhya Pradesh), Shiv Sena in Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Congress in Mandi (Himachal Pradesh).
Congress candidate Pratibha Singh has won the Mandi Lok Sabha seat, the home district of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, by defeating BJP’s green horn Brigadier Khushal Thakur (retired), a decorated officer who played a crucial role in the 1999 Kargil war. Singh won by a slender margin of 8,766 votes.
In Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Shiv Sena candidate and the widow of late Mohan Delkar, Kalavati Delkar won by more than 50,000 votes.
The Congress has however, faired well where it was in direct contest with the BJP. In Bihar too, Congress has not been the first choice despite the party contesting alone. The main contest was between the RJD and the JDU.
The Congress won all three Assembly constituencies — Arki, Fatehpur and Jubbal-Kotkhai — of Himachal Pradesh.
The Congress has won both the seats — Vallabhnagar and Dhariyawad in Rajasthan. Congress leader Sachin Pilot said, “What is more important, is for people to see who is most viable option that they need to support against BJP, and I think Congress is fast emerging as that option.”
Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress swept all four seats in West Bengal, while the BJP and allies have gained grounds in the northeast.
In West Bengal, in three of the four assembly constituencies that went for the bypolls, the security deposit of BJP candidates has been forfeited. The security deposit of BJP candidates in Gosaba, Khardha and Dinhata have been forfeited, putting a huge question mark on the party’s performance.
The JD(U) has won in Bihar’s Kusheshwar Asthan and the RJD in Tarapur. The candidates of the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) and ally United Democratic Party (UDP) are leading in the Mawryngkneng, Rajabala and Mawphlang Assembly seats in Meghalaya.
In MP’s Khandwa Lok Sabah seat, BJP has won with a handsome margin of votes. The party has also won Jobat, and leading in Prithvipur but is behind the Congress in Raigon.
In Maharashtra the lone seat went for the bypoll has been won by the Congress and it has wrested Hanagal seat from BJP in Karnataka which is the home turf of the Chief Minister but the major setback has been TRS which has lost Hazoorabad seat to the BJP.
Victory of Congress workers, says Rahul
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi has credited the bypoll results to the party workers. He said this win is the victory of ground level workers.
कांग्रेस की हर जीत हमारी पार्टी के कार्यकर्ता की जीत है। नफ़रत के ख़िलाफ़ लड़ते रहो। डरो मत!
Every victory for the Congress is a victory of our party worker. Keep fighting hate. No fear! #BypollResults2021
In a tweet on Tuesday said, “Every victory for the Congress is a victory of our party workers. Keep fighting hate. No fear!”
Humbly accept verdict in bypolls: Himachal CM
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Tuesday said he humbly accepted the verdict given by the people in the by-elections to one Lok Sabha seat and three Vidhan Sabha constituencies in the state, as the ruling BJP lost all.
He said the results were not according to their expectations.
“We would try to come up to the expectations and aspirations of the people of the state and would work with renewed zeal and dedication to perform better in Assembly elections of 2022,” Thakur said in a statement.
The Chief Minister congratulated the winning candidates.
The BJP lost the Mandi parliamentary seat and three Assembly seats to the opposition Congress.
“Today Congress family is fragmented. There is YSR Congress, Sharad Congress and Indira Congress. My dream is to bring the Congress family together,” he added…reports Asian Lite News.
As expected the two-time Chief Minister of Goa and former Congress leader Luizinho Faleiro joined Trinamool Congress on Wednesday in Kolkata. Ten other Congress leaders also joined Trinamool along with Faleiro.
Flanked by Trinamool Congress All India General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, State Minister of Panchayat Subrata Mukherjee and the party MP Sougata Roy, Faleiro took the flag of the party from Banerjee and said that his primary job is to fight the divisive policies, vengeance and the culture of intolerance of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Addressing a press conference, Faleiro said, “I would like to quote the last testament of Mahatma Gandhi — the Father of the Nation. Just three days before his heinous assassination he had said — ‘Congress which is the oldest national political organisation and which have fought many battles in a non-violent way cannot be allowed to die. It can only die with the nation. A living organism ever grows or dies’.”
Expressing his profound happiness to join Congress, the seven-time MLA of Goa said, “My resignation is the beginning of the unification of the congress family. I have started my journey from the west coast and have reached the east. I am a Congressman and I have lived with that for the last 40 years. I have the same ideology, principles and programs that Congress has. When I am joining Trinamool Congress it is to fulfill my dream to bring the congress family together”.
“Today Congress family is fragmented. There is YSR Congress, Sharad Congress and Indira Congress. My dream is to bring the Congress family together,” he added.
“I will strive to consolidate Congress but before that my main mission is to fight the divisive policies, vengeance and the culture of intolerance of the BJP,” he said.
“Like the country Goa is also suffering because of the BJP. There is economic meltdown, administrative collapse and sharp unemployment. In Goa, 65 per cent of the population is living below the poverty line. The BJP has taken our country 45 years back,” the former veteran Congress leader said.
Before addressing the chief minister, Faleiro met Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the state secretariat in Nabanna. After meeting with Banerjee, Faleiro tweeted, “Meeting the Hon Chief Minister of Bengal, Smt @MamataOfficial with my compatriots. We pledge to protect the people of Goa against divisive and fascist forces. The fight for a new dawn in Goa begins today”.
“As the number of MLAs of the BJP is higher than the JD-U, we have more responsibility to run the government smoothly than the JD-U,” Hussain said…reports Asian Lite News.
Bihar Minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain on Thursday admitted that differences have arisen between his Bharatiya Janata Party and the Janata Dal-United in the state, but there was no threat to the government.
“There are differences in the Bihar NDA. The leaders of the BJP and the JD-U have differences of opinion on several issues, though both the parties are committed for better future of Bihar. The Nitish Kumar government will complete the tenure of 5 years,” he said while interacting with reporters in Muzaffarpur.
“As the number of MLAs of the BJP is higher than the JD-U, we have more responsibility to run the government smoothly than the JD-U,” Hussain said.
While Hussain was cautious on criticising the Nitish Kumar-led JDU, PWD Minister Nitin Navin openly said that the policies of Nitish Kumar, especially on the population control law, was not good.
“I believe that population control law should be implemented in Bihar. It will help to bring a strong and healthy society. Population control policy is not one subject. If it is implemented in the country, everyone will come under this law. The awareness can come after the implementation of laws,” he said.
Nitish Kumar has a clear stand on population control law, saying that the population can be control only after education and awareness of females in the society.
Banerjee also said that the BJP leadership should control itself and accept the mandate of the people….reports Asian Lite News
Hours after Union minister and senior BJP leader V. Muraleedharan alleged that his convoy was attacked by Trinamool Congress supporters in West Midnapore district, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused the saffron party of instigating violence in Bengal to put undue pressure on the state government on the issue of law and order.
Speaking at a press conference at state secretariat Nabanna, Banerjee said, “One minister is trying to provoke people. Some sporadic incidents happen after elections and that is natural, but the BJP-led Central government is trying to exaggerate the whole thing. They are instigating violence.”
Banerjee also said that the BJP leadership should control itself and accept the mandate of the people.
Announcing a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each for the people who died in post-poll violence in the state, the Chief Minister said, “Altogether 16 people have died. Half of them are from the BJP, one from the ISF and rest from our party. So people from all the parties have died and I am really sorry for them. But what the BJP is doing is not acceptable.”
Mamata
Accusing the Centre of putting pressure on the state government, Banerjee said, “I took oath at 11 am on Wednesday and in the evening, they sent a strong letter and the next day they sent a Central team. Why are they in such a hurry? I don’t see this kind of prompt reaction when it comes to supply of oxygen, vaccines, emergency medicines or saline. They don’t send their teams then. They can’t accept their defeat.”
The Chief Minister also made it clear that controlling the Covid situation is her priority and she would work to keep the people of the state safe.
“I don’t have the time to fight with the BJP now. The elections are over. I want to make one thing clear that whoever comes to the state needs to get an RT PCR test done. I shall not allow anyone into the state without that,” Banerjee said.
“Even a Central minister or a businessman coming by a chartered flight will have to come with a fit medical certificate and I shall not allow anybody without that. If the person tests positive, he or she will have to stay in quarantine for 14 days at his own cost. I shall do everything for the poor people but not for those who have money,” she added.
New Delhi: MoS External Affairs V. Muraleedharan participated in the 27th Regional Forum Ministerial via video conferencing in New Delhi on Sep 12, 2020. (Photo: IANS/MEA)
When asked about people fleeing from Bengal and taking shelter in Assam, the Chief Minister said, “They are teaching the chief ministers to speak against me. When there was a problem in Assam, people came to Bengal. It happens in the bordering districts. I can see this more in Cooch Behar where the BJP has done well.”
Speaking on the Covid situation, Banerjee cautioned everybody to stay safe for the next 14 days.
“The state government has decided to develop oxygen plants in all the 105 state-run hospitals and it has already been prepared in Diamond Harbour and Cooch Behar. We have also asked the intern doctors and the post-graduate doctors to come forward and join our war against Covid. This will give an additional strength of 2,000 doctors,” she said.
