Category Archives: Politics

Politics, West Bengal

Saffron party leadership to revamp state BJP, major reshuffle awaited

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Central BJP leaders are aiming to restructure the saffron party’s organisation at the state and district level ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections in view of the party’s poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections.
RAJIB CHAKRABORTY | SNS  | Kolkata | July 8, 2024 : Saffron party leadership to revamp state BJP, major reshuffle awaited

Central BJP leaders are aiming to restructure the saffron party’s organisation at the state and district level ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections in view of the party’s poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections. According to sources, some central party leaders, who are dealing with organisation affairs are keeping in close touch with some state BJP leaders. The party leadership is said to be planning to replace the presidents of at least 15 out of 43 organisational districts in Bengal. Both winning and losing candidates in the Lok Sabha elections will be utilised for organisational work, said the BJP sources. There is even a possibility of a change in the state BJP president.

On Friday, BJP’s national president J P Nadda assigned new organisational responsibilities in 24 states except West Bengal. Sources said that as the post-election analysis at the grassroots level has revealed several reasons for the BJP’s poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections in Bengal, so the Delhi headquarters are taking stock of the situation. The saffron party leadership is planning a significant organisational overhaul in view of the disappointing election results.Reports indicated that nearly 15 district presidents will be replaced before the Puja. Additionally, recently state president Sukanta Majumdar hinted at a possible change in his position, noting that the party’s principle is “one person, one post”. He had recently stated: “Our party’s policy is one person, one post.

Therefore, since I have become a minister, I may have to step down. However, the final decision will be made by the central leadership. Our party’s structure undergoes changes from the top to the bottom in terms of organisational restructuring.” The focus will primarily be on revamping the district organisations, from the district to the mandal levels. Most district presidents in areas with poor results in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections will be replaced.

Over 300 mandal presidents may also be replaced. Furthermore, the majority of booth committees will be restructured. While Mr Majumdar did not directly comment on the organisational reshuffle, a state BJP leader claimed that any changes in the state BJP’s organisational structure would be on the directives of the central leadership. However, sources within the BJP have confirmed that organisational changes are indeed taking place at various levels within the state BJP.

A few days ago, state BJP leaders met at the Salt Lake party office for a post-election review meeting, where it was decided to gather reports from the district level. Subsequently, review meetings are being held in various districts with mandal presidents, district and zone in-charges, and assembly in-charges. The complete grassroots reports will soon be submitted to the state committee, which will then send the refined reports to the central leadership. The grassroots leaders and workers have identified several issues responsible for the party’s poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections during the review meetings, including that many senior workers were not involved in the election work, booth organisations were quite lax, incorrect booth reports were sent, with optimistic projections that did not match reality.

BJP workers were lax in door-to-door campaigning, and voters were not adequately approached. There was also a lack of coordination between district presidents and party candidates in most Lok Sabha constituencies. Frequent meetings and large gatherings by central leaders resulted in insufficient grassroots voter outreach, said the sources. These issues are being discussed within the party. Organisational reshuffles are expected in several districts, including Howrah, Hooghly, South 24-Parganas, West Midnapore, Jhargram, Bankura, and Burdwan. Both Lok Sabha constituencies in Howrah did not yield satisfactory results, the Hooghly seat was lost, and even though Arambagh was considered a positive seat, it was lost. The Burdwan-Durgapur seat was lost, and even though Asansol was considered positive, it was lost as well.

Additionally, there is internal conflict within the party in Burdwan, necessitating organisational restructuring. South 24-Parganas performed very poorly, and reports of factionalism have surfaced. Organisational changes are also expected in Midnapur, Jhargram, and Ghatal. The Bankura seat was lost, and there was significant internal conflict within the party before the elections. In Bishnupur, BJP won by a very small margin. Consequently, organisational changes are planned in Bankura, Bishnupur, Birbhum, and Bolpur.
National, Politics

Delhi police file FIR under new criminal laws against Trinamul MP Mahua Moitra

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Sources said Mahua had been booked under Section 79 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), which deals with gestures or acts intended at outraging a woman’s modesty

Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, TT, New Delhi, 08.07.24 : Delhi police on Sunday filed an FIR under the new criminal laws against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra over her “derogatory” remarks against National Commission of Women chief Rekha Sharma.

Sources said Mahua had been booked under Section 79 of the Bharatiya Nyay

Sanhita (BNS), which deals with gestures or acts intended at outraging a woman’s modesty. Sources said Mahua was the first politician to have been booked under the new BNS, which has replaced the Indian Penal Code.

The commission had earlier sought an FIR against the MP.

Mahua had on July 4 commented on a video posted on X that showed a man holding an umbrella over Sharma’s head and walking behind her during the commission chief’s visit to the site of the Hathras stampede.

Several social media users felt that having someone else hold an umbrella over one’s head was “insensitive”, especially at the site of a tragedy, and asked why Sharma could not hold the umbrella herself.

“She is too busy holding up her boss’s pajamas,” Mahua had posted on X. She later deleted the post.

On July 5, the women’s commission put up a post on X saying: “The National Commission for Women has taken suo mot(u) cognizance of the derogatory remark made by Ms. Mahua Moitra, Member of Parliament, against Ms. Rekha Sharma, Chairperson, NCW. The crude remarks are outrageous and a violation of a woman’s right to dignity.”

It added: “The Commission observed that this remark attracts Section 79 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, 2023. NCW strongly condemns these defamatory remarks and requests strict action against Ms. Moitra. An FIR should be registered against Ms. Moitra and a detailed action report should be communicated to the Commission within 3 days.”

Responding to the commission’s post, Mahua wrote: “Come on Delhi Police please take action immediately on these suo mot(u) orders. Am in Nadia in case you need me in the next 3 days to make a quick arrest. I Can Hold My Own Umbrella.”

In another post, Mahua shared screenshots of past posts, allegedly from Sharma’s account, that she said passed “crude” comments against political leaders such as Sonia Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal and Lalu Prasad.

Mahua wrote: “Also Delhi Police while you’re at it can you please register an FIR against another serial offender under your new Act.”

The BNS came into effect on July 1, replacing the Indian Penal Code.
Crime, Politics, West Bengal

Bengal Raj Bhavan molestation case: Woman employee moves Supreme Court against immunity to Governor Bose

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According to Article 361, criminal proceedings cannot be instituted in a court against the Governor during his term of office
CV Ananda Bose: File

PTI, New Delhi, 04.07.24 : A contractual woman employee, who has alleged molestation by West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose, has moved the Supreme Court against “blanket immunity” conferred to him under Article 361 of the Constitution.

According to Article 361, criminal proceedings cannot be instituted in a court against the Governor during his term of office.

The woman petitioner has sought directions to frame specific guidelines under which Governors enjoy immunity from criminal prosecution.

“This court has to decide whether a victim like the petitioner can be rendered remediless, with the only option being to wait for the accused to demit his office, which delay will then be inexplainable during the trial, and render the entire procedure a mere lip service, without any justice to the victim herein,” the plea said.

The plea has also sought a probe into the case by West Bengal police and protection for her and her family along with compensation from the government for her loss of reputation.

The contractual woman employee of Raj Bhavan had lodged a complaint with Kolkata Police alleging that she was molested by Bose in the governor’s house on April 24 and May 2.

She accused Bose of orchestrating a “ridiculous drama” to deflect attention from his actions, emphasising that he should have provided the CCTV footage from premises to police at the outset of the investigation.

Footage from two CCTV cameras positioned at the main (north) gate, spanning from 5.32 pm to 6.41 pm on May 2, was shown to a select group of people and journalists at the Central Marble Hall on the ground floor of Raj Bhavan.

In the first footage, the employee, dressed in jeans and a top, was seen hurrying to the police outpost housed within the governor’s house amidst a significant number of police personnel who were deployed in the premises for the scheduled visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on that day.

The second footage, which lasted for around 10 minutes, showed various vehicles including fire tenders arriving at the north gate of Raj Bhavan and policemen lining up for their regular duties. The victim, however, could not be spotted.

Amid the controversy over the woman’s allegation, Bose had filed a defamation case against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on June 28, a day after the CM claimed that women complained to her that they were afraid to visit the Raj Bhavan because of the activities there.

The Calcutta High Court has adjourned till Thursday the hearing in the matter.
Crime, Politics, West Bengal

Calcutta High Court to hear Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose’s defamation suit against CM Mamata Banerjee on July 3

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 Bose had filed a defamation case against Banerjee on June 28, a day after she claimed women complained to her that they were afraid to visit the Raj Bhavan because of the activities there
PTI,  Calcutta, 03.07.24 : The Calcutta High Court is on Wednesday scheduled to hear a defamation suit filed by West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Bose had filed a defamation case against Banerjee on June 28, a day after she claimed women complained to her that they were afraid to visit the Raj Bhavan because of the activities there.

The defamation suit filed by Bose is listed for hearing on Wednesday before the bench of Justice Krishna Rao, according to the high court’s website.

During an administrative meeting in the state secretariat, Banerjee had on June 27 said “women have informed me they are afraid to visit Raj Bhavan due to recent incidents reported there”.

Following Banerjee’s remarks, the governor had said it was expected of public representatives not to create “erroneous and slanderous impressions”.

On May 2, a contractual woman employee of Raj Bhavan had made an allegation of molestation against Bose, following which the Calcutta Police started an inquiry.

Under Article 361 of the Constitution, no criminal proceedings can be instituted against a governor during his/her term in office.
National, Politics

BJP seeks CM Mamata’s resignation over ‘severe deterioration’ of law and order in state

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PTI, New Delhi, Jul 01 2024 : The BJP called for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s resignation on Monday over a “severe deterioration” in the state’s law and order after a video of a man flogging a couple in public in West Bengal surfaced on social media.

The man seen in the video beating up a couple with a bamboo stick was allegedly a local TMC leader from Chopra in Uttar Dinajpur district, where the incident occurred following a kangaroo court decision.
The accused, Tajmul alias JCB, was arrested.
BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia highlighted the flogging incident and questioned the chief minister’s commitment to justice and governance.
During a press conference, he condemned the act as a grave violation of dignity and fundamental rights and criticised Banerjee’s silence.
“It is a shame that she has not spoken a word on this. As a woman and a chief minister, she should be the first to come out and condemn this incident,” Bhatia asserted.
He also alleged that the perpetrator was a leader from Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) party.
“What makes the matter worse is the fact that the accused happens to be a TMC leader. This is a blatant miscarriage of justice,” the BJP leader claimed.
Bhatia also attacked Banerjee over West Bengal’s governance, accusing the chief minister of failing to maintain law and order.
“Law and order have completely collapsed in West Bengal. Mamata Banerjee should resign forthwith as she is unable to ensure the safety and security of citizens,” he said.
Bhatia also highlighted a controversial statement by TMC MLA Hamdulillah, who allegedly justified the incident by referring to justice systems in certain Islamic nations.
“He justified it by saying this kind of justice prevails in Islamic nations, thus endorsing a Talibani style of dispensing justice in a country that believes in the Constitution of India,” Bhatia said.
He also questioned the silence of prominent opposition leaders on the issue.
“Where is Mallikarjun Kharge? Where is Sonia Gandhi? Where is Lalu Prasad Yadav? None of them have made any statement condemning this ghastly incident. Such is their belief in the Constitution of India, or rather, in the Talibani rule of law imposed by the TMC on the citizens of West Bengal,” he said.
Assuring the people of West Bengal and India, Bhatia said, “Our national president JP Nadda has raised this issue and, on behalf of the party, I assure every citizen that we will stand shoulder to shoulder with the victims. We believe in the Constitution of India and will ensure that this Talabani kind of government does not exist for another day.
National, Politics

Criminal laws passed ‘forcibly’, INDIA will not allow ‘bulldozer’ justice in par system: Cong

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PTI, NEW DELHI, JULY 1, 2024 :  Three new criminal laws came into effect in the country on Monday, bringing far-reaching changes in India’s criminal justice system. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) take into account some of the current social realities and modern-day crimes. 

The new laws replaced the British-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively. From Monday, all fresh FIRs will be registered under the BNS. However, cases filed earlier will continue to be tried under the old laws till their final disposals. 
The new laws brought in a modern justice system, incorporating provisions such as Zero FIR, online registration of police complaints, summonses through electronic modes such as SMS and mandatory videography of crime scenes for all heinous crimes. 
The new laws have tried to address some of the current social realities and crimes and are going to provide a mechanism to effectively deal with these, keeping in view the ideals enshrined in the Constitution, official sources said. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who piloted the laws, had said the new laws would give priority to providing justice, unlike the colonial-era laws that gave primacy to penal action.”
These laws are made by Indians, for Indians and by an Indian Parliament and marks the end of colonial criminal justice laws,” Shah had said. 
The Home Minister had further said the laws were not just about changing the nomenclature but bringing about a complete overhaul. 
“Soul, body and spirit” of the new laws is Indian,” he had said. Justice is an umbrella term that encompasses both the victim and the culprit, the Home Minister had said and added these new laws would ensure political, economic and social justice with an Indian ethos. 
According to the new laws, judgment in criminal cases has to come within45 days of completion of trial and charges must be framed within 60days of first hearing. Statement of rape victims will be recorded by a woman police officer in presence of her guardian or relative and medical reports have to come within seven days. 
Organised crimes and acts of terrorism have been defined, sedition has been replaced with treason and video recording of all search and seizures made mandatory. 
A new chapter on crimes against women and children has been added, buying and selling of any child made a heinous crime and there is a provision for death sentence or life imprisonment for gang rape of a minor. 
Offences against women and children, murder and offences against the State have been given precedence in the new law. 
With the new laws coming into effect, the Congress on Monday accused the Union government of getting them “forcibly” passed in Parliament after suspending 146 MPs and asserted that going forward, the INDIA bloc will not allow such “bulldozer justice” to prevail in the country’s parliamentary system. 
In a post in Hindi on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said: “After the political and moral shock in the elections, Modi ji and the BJP are pretending to respect the Constitution, but the truth is that the three laws of the criminal justice system which are being implemented from today, were passed forcibly after suspension of 146MPs.” “INDIA will no longer allow this ‘bulldozer justice’ to prevail in the parliamentary system,” he asserted. 
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also took a swipe at the government after the first FIR was lodged under the new laws. “The first FIR has already been filed under Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita 2023. 
It is by Delhi Police against a street vendor for obstruction, after he was earning his daily livelihood under a foot-over bridge of New Delhi Railway Station, “Ramesh said. Delhi Police registered its first FIR under provisions of the new criminal code the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against a street vendor selling water and tobacco products from a cart that allegedly obstructed a public way in central Delhi’s Kamala Market area on Monday, officials said.
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram also slammed the government as the new criminal laws came into effect and said it was another case of “bulldozing” existing laws and replacing them with three new bills without adequate discussion and debate. 
In a post on X, Chidambaram said: “90-99 per cent of the so-called new laws are a cut, copy and paste job. A task that could have been completed with a few amendments to the existing three laws has been turned into a wasteful exercise.” 
“Yes, there are a few improvements in the new laws and we have welcomed them. They could have been introduced as amendments. 
On the other hand, there are several retrograde provisions. Some changes are prima facie unconstitutional,” he said. MPs, who were members of the standing committee, pored over the provisions and wrote detailed dissent notes to the three Bills, the senior leader said. Chidambaram added the government did not rebut or answer any of the criticisms in the dissent notes and there was no worthwhile debate in Parliament. “Law scholars, bar associations, judges and lawyers have in numerous articles and seminars pointed out the grave deficiencies in the three new laws. No one in government has cared to answer the questions,” he said. Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said the Congress’ concern was that the bills were passed without discussion.
“Something as important and as far reaching as this. Many of us had called for an overhaul of the IPC but we wanted a discussion and the discussion never took place and that is something very regrettable in a democracy like ours,” he told reporters outside Parliament. 
Crime, Politics, Regional

BJP demands CBI probe into torture of woman party leader in CoochBehar

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Paul, who led a BJP delegation to the Mathabhanga area of the district, claimed that the woman, president of the local unit’s minority morcha, was beaten and stripped by TMC miscreants on June 25 while she was grazing cattle in the field.

PTI, 29 June 2024, Kolkata: BJP state general secretary Agnimitra Paul on Saturday demanded a CBI probe into the alleged incident of stripping and physical torture of a woman leader of the saffron party in West Bengal’s Coochbehar district, accusing police of inaction against the real perpetrators.

Paul, who led a BJP delegation to the Mathabhanga area of the district, claimed that the woman, president of the local unit’s minority morcha, was beaten and stripped by TMC miscreants on June 25 while she was grazing cattle in the field. 

“Under the regime of a woman chief minister, a woman representing the mothers, sisters, and the minority community of Bengal was beaten, stripped, and verbally abused in public by a local TMC leader and his associates.

“Police and the government are turning a blind eye to such blatant violence against a woman. We have no faith in this administration. We demand a CBI probe,” she said.

Paul and other BJP leaders briefly blocked the road in Choupti near the police lines and later met Additional SP and the woman involved.

However, a police officer said the incident appeared to be a domestic dispute, and seven out of the ten persons named in the FIR have been arrested. The remaining three will be apprehended soon, he added.

TMC spokesperson Partha Pratim Roy countered BJP’s claims, stating that they were politicising a family dispute following their defeat in the Lok Sabha elections in Coochbehar.

BJP state president and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar alleged that the Mamata Banerjee-led government was diverting attention from the incident by suddenly highlighting issues like hawkers encroaching on pavements.

“I have personally spoken to the traumatised woman. She is experiencing pain in her head. We are arranging for her treatment in Kolkata,” Majumdar told reporters.

Another TMC spokesperson Trinankur Bhattacharya told PTI that BJP was trying to politicise every minor incident to disrupt peace in Bengal after their electoral defeat and discredit the state government. “They are making baseless allegations. In every unfortunate incident, police take action and apprehend the culprits. However, these people do not belong to our party,” he added.  
National, Politics

Opposition forces repeated adjournments in Parliament over NEET issue

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PTI, New Delhi, Jun 28, 2024 :  The opposition caused repeated disruptions in Parliament Friday over the NEET paper leak issue, with both Houses being adjourned for the day without transacting much business apart from the Rajya Sabha taking up the Motion of Thanks for the President’s address amid protests including by the BJD, which almost always supported the BJP in the previous Lok Sabha.

    
At one point, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge too entered the Well of the House to join the opposition protest.

The Lok Sabha was first adjourned minutes after it assembled at 11 am, and then when it reassembled around 12 noon, it was adjourned till Monday amid the opposition’s demand for a discussion on the issue.

Rajya Sabha also witnessed a series of disruptions before being adjourned for the day around 6 pm. But even during the time the House functioned, much of the time was taken up by the Opposition parties registering their protest by rasing slogans and entering into the Well of the House.

Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar expressed anguish over Kharge trooping into the Well, saying it is for the first time that a person occupying the post has engaged in such a conduct.

The opposition was relentless in their protest in Lok Sabha also which led to its first adjournment of the day minutes after the members assembled.

When the House reassembled at 12 noon, opposition members continued with their demand for a discussion on matters related to the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).

Speaker Om Birla and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju told opposition members that they can discuss the matter during the course of the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address.

Birla said there are certain norms of Parliament that have to be followed and committees have to be formed, to which Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said students are not aware of it. They are only demanding justice.
    
As members from the Congress, TMC and DMK stormed into the Well, Rijiju said it is for the first time that the opposition is seen demanding a discussion on an issue before the House takes up the Motion of Thanks.

“There is a difference between protest on the road and protest inside the House… You (Opposition) don’t want House to run? You don’t want to discuss NEET during Motion of Thanks discussion?” Birla said.

As the House continued to see uproar, Birla adjourned the proceedings till Monday.

Amid din, TMC member S K Nurul Islam took oath as a Lok Sabha member from his seat as he was visibly unwell.

Earlier when the House met in morning, opposition members were up on their feet seeking the acceptance of an adjournment motion to suspend all business and discuss matters related to NEET.

However, Birla said he would first take up the obituary references to 13 former members, including ex-Lok Sabha speaker and ex-Maharashtra chief minister Manohar Joshi.

When the obituary references were over, the opposition members were on their feet again.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said the NEET issue is a very important for the whole country and they want a dedicated discussion in the House on the matter. Hence, the adjournment motion should be accepted, he said.

However, Birla said he could not allow it as the House was about to take up the discussion on the Motion of Thanks for the President’s address to the joint sitting of Parliament on Thursday.

Back in the Rajya Sabha, BJD members joined other opposition parties in their protests.

In the previous Lok Sabha, the BJD was seen siding with the BJP. But after losing to the BJP in the just-held assembly elections in Odisha and failing to open its account in the Lok Sabha, the BJD has joined hands with other opposition parties in targeting the BJP.

Soon after laying of the listed papers on the table of the House during the morning session, Dhankhar informed that he has not accepted 22 notices by the opposition leaders to suspend the scheduled business of the day and take up discussion on the alleged irregularities in the NEET.

This led to protest by opposition MPs. They started raising slogans and several of them entered into the Well.

When Kharge joined his colleagues in the Well, Dhankhar said, “I am pained and surprised that Indian parliamentary tradition will stoop to such low that the leader of the opposition will troop into the Well,” he said, before adjourning the proceedings till 2 pm.

The House later took up the discussions on the Motion of the Thanks before adjourning for the day around 6 pm.

Earlier, when the Rajya Sabha reassembled at 2:30 pm, DMK member Tiruchi Siva informed the House that Congress MP Phulo Devi Netam, who had fainted earlier, had high blood pressure.

In response, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said, “I have taken all steps, suspended the working of the House. All arrangements were made and that was the most that could be done. Everything is being taken care of.”

However, the opposition was apparently not satisfied and started sloganeering. Soon after, they staged a walkout and were also joined by members of the Biju Janta Dal (BJD). 
National, Politics

Rahul meets Speaker, says reference to Emergency could have been avoided

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PTI, New Delhi, Jun 27, 2024 :  Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi met Speaker Om Birla on Thursday and voiced his displeasure over the reference to Emergency made by the chair, saying it was “clearly political” and could have been avoided.

    
It was a courtesy call during which Gandhi also raised the issue of Emergency being invoked by the Speaker in the House, Congress general secretary K C Venugopal told reporters after the meeting in the Parliament House.

“It was a courtesy call. The Speaker declared Rahul Gandhi as the Leader of Opposition and after that, he along with other INDIA bloc partner leaders met the Speaker,” he said.

Asked whether Gandhi discussed the issue of Emergency being raised in the House, Venugopal said, “We discussed so many things about Parliament functioning. Of course, this issue also came up.”

“Rahul ji, as Leader of Opposition, informed the Speaker about this issue and said it could have been avoided from the Speaker’s reference. That is clearly a political reference, it could have been avoided,” the Congress leader said.

Separately, Venugopal also wrote to Birla, expressing the party’s displeasure over the bringing of the resolution on the Emergency as his first task after assuming office.

“I am writing this in the context of a very grave matter impacting the very credibility of the institution of Parliament. Yesterday, that is 26 June 2024, at the time of offering felicitations on your election as Speaker Lok Sabha, there was a general camaraderie in the House as such occasions generate,” he said in his letter to the Speaker.

“However, what followed thereafter, which is a reference from the Chair after your acceptance speech, in regard to the declaration of Emergency half a century ago, is deeply shocking. Making such a political reference from the Chair is unprecedented in the annals of the history of Parliament. This coming from the Chair as one of the ‘first duties’ of a newly elected Speaker assumes even graver proportions.

“I, on behalf of the Indian National Congress, express our profound concern and anguish over this travesty of Parliamentary traditions,” Venugopal said in his letter to the Speaker.

Soon after his election as Lok Sabha Speaker, Birla had on Wednesday set off a firestorm by reading out a resolution condemning the imposition of Emergency as an attack on the Constitution by then prime minister Indira Gandhi, an act that triggered vociferous protests by Congress member in the House.
    
Birla recalled that it was on June 26, 1975, that the country woke up to the cruel realities of Emergency when the Congress government jailed opposition leaders, imposed many restrictions on the media and also curbed the autonomy of the judiciary.
    
Rahul Gandhi’s meeting with the Speaker was the first after he assumed charge as the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
    
He was accompanied by Samajwadi Party’s Dharmendra Yadav and Dimple Yadav, DMK’s Kanimozhi, NCP’s (SP) Supriya Sule, RJDs Misa Bharti and TMC’s Kalyan Banerjee, RSP’s N K Premachandran and some others.
Politics, Sikkim

Golay meets Jal Shakti Minister, requests river training work to clear Teesta bed of debris of GLOF

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PRAKASH ADHIKARI, EOI, GANGTOK, JUNE 26, 2024 : In a meeting with Union Minister for Jal Shakti Mr C.R Patil on Tuesday, Chief Minister of Sikkim Prem Singh Tamang highlighted the immense challenges faced by Sikkim following a sudden cloudburst on October 3 and 4, 2023, which led to a significant discharge in the Teesta River. This event brought in enormous debris, causing a substantial rise in the water level due to sedimentation, with the riverbed level rising by approximately eight to 10 metres and drastically altering the morphology of the river, he informed.

Emphasising the urgent need to strengthen the Teesta River banks, the Chief Minister called for appropriate River Training Works (RTW) along the alignment from Zeema to Melli. Implementing these RTWs would help mitigate the devastation from the river and prevent further disasters, he apprises. 
The Chief Minister explained how the silt deposits had caused the river to swell, partially submerging low-lying areas and endangering lives and properties. Continuous heavy downpour during the monsoon has raised water levels dangerously, threatening to submerge the towns of Dikchu, Singtam, Rangpo, and Melli. Infrastructure such as road networks, jhora training works, and river protection walls had been severely damaged.
In light of these challenges, the Chief Minister requested the Ministry of JalShakti to execute a team of experts to study the morphology of river Teesta’s, assess the damage, and provide guidance, resources, and expert recommendations. The Union Minister asked officials to pay utmost heed to the proposal regarding the constitution of a team of experts to take care of immediate necessities and mitigation in regards to the rivers and glaciers of Sikkim
Politics, West Bengal

Newly elected TMC MLAs fail to take oath, Guv leaves for Delhi

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PTI, Kolkata, Jun 26, 2024 : The deadlock over the swearing-in of two newly elected TMC legislators continued on Wednesday as West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose refused to hold the programme in the assembly as requested by them, and instead left for New Delhi, officials said.

Miffed by the development, the two MLAs, Sayantika Bandyopadhyay and Rayat Hossain Sarkar, said they would again write to the Governor and would continue their sit-in protest on Thursday too inside the assembly premises.

“Today we waited till 4 PM but the Governor didn’t come. We would again write to the Governor and request him to administer the oath here at the assembly. Tomorrow again we would sit near the statue of Dr B R Ambedkar and protest against the injustice,” Bandopadhyay said after a meeting with Speaker Biman Banerjee, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sobhandeb Chottoapadhyay along with Sarkar.

Raj Bhavan had earlier invited the two, who were elected to the assembly in recent by-polls, to take the oath at the Governor’s House on Wednesday.

However, the TMC claimed that the convention dictates that in the case of by-poll winners, the governor assigns the Speaker or the Deputy Speaker of the assembly to administer the oath.

According to sources at Raj Bhavan, the governor left for New Delhi in the evening.

Earlier in the day, the two MLAs arrived at the assembly and stated their intention to wait for the governor till 4 pm to administer their oath of office or authorize the Speaker to do so.

They also staged a sit-in on the staircase of the assembly demanding the same.

“We came to know that he had left for New Delhi. We are not nominated but elected representatives of the people. We are accountable to the masses. We are hopeful of taking the oath in the assembly,” Bandyopadhyay said.

Speaker Biman Banerjee, who expressed his displeasure over the situation, accused Bose of turning the swearing-in ritual into an “ego battle” and intentionally complicating the issue.

He claimed that an impasse was deliberately created for reasons best known to the governor.

“We were waiting for the governor to come to the assembly, but he didn’t come. Such an impasse is not at all expected. The governor has turned it into an ego battle. He is exercising his powers. I will also consult legal experts to understand my powers,” Banerjee said.

Calling the swearing-in of MLAs a “Constitutional convention”, the Speaker said he considered it a “misfortune” to witness such developments in current times.

The Speaker said he wasn’t aware of any instance where an MP who won a by-poll was sworn in by the President of India.

“Until we take the oath, we cannot function as MLAs. The people of our constituencies are suffering,” Bandyopadhyay said.

Bandyopadhyay and Sarkar were elected from Baranagar near Kolkata and Bhagwangola in Murshidabad district, respectively.

The latest faceoff between the Bengal Governor and the state’s ruling TMC was triggered by a Raj Bhavan communication a few days back inviting the two newly elected MLAs to be present at Raj Bhavan on July 26 for their swearing-in ceremony.

The act, the TMC alleged, was in defiance of the custom of the Governor assigning the Speaker or the Deputy Speaker of the House to do the needful in cases of by-poll winners.

The Raj Bhavan letter also reportedly has no mention of who would administer the oath to the new MLAs.

International, National, Politics

Buzz: Indian drones and ammunition used by Israel in Gaza arsenal

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 ‘Indians always remind us that Israel was there for them during the Kargil War. Israel was one of the few countries that stood by them and provided them with weapons’
An Israeli soldier on a tank near the Israel-Gaza border on Monday. There is no suggestion that the tank was provided by India.: Reuters picture

Anita Joshua, TT, New Delhi , 26.06.24 : A former Israeli ambassador to India has said speculation in the international media about Indian drones and ammunition being used by Israel in Gaza may well be true considering the gratitude New Delhi feels towards Tel Aviv for its assistance during the Kargil War 25 years ago.

“Indians always remind us that Israel was there for them during the Kargil War. Israel was one of the few countries that stood by them and provided them with weapons. The Indians don’t forget this and might now be returning the favour,” Daniel Carmon told Israeli news network Ynetnews.

Iran was quick to pick on this and the official news agency, IRNA, flashed it on Sunday as “India sent great deal of arms to Israeli regime: Zionist media”.

While there has been some chatter about India sending weapons to Israel for a while now, the decision of Spain to prevent a cargo ship originating from Chennai from docking at one of its ports en route Israel in May has added fuel to the fire.

“The ship, originating from the city of Madras in India, was carrying 27 tonnes of munitions destined for the IDF (Israel Defence Forces), against the backdrop of the war with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah on the Lebanon border. The incident highlights the fact that India has been providing significant military assistance to Israel since October 7,” the Ynetnews report said.

Before this report, the South China Morning Post had quoted analysts as saying that the shipment on the Danish-flagged ship, the Marianne Danica, which had sought permission to dock at Cartegana, Spain, was most likely from a “third-party vendor”.

In February, Shephard News, which specialises in global defence news, had reported that “the first private UAV manufacturing facility in India has delivered more than 20 Hermes 900 medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) UAVs to Israel”.

“Hyderabad-based Adani-Elbit Advanced Systems India Ltd, a joint venture company between India’s Adani Defence and Aerospace and Israel’s Elbit Systems, became the first entity to manufacture the UAVs outside of Israel,” it added.

Ynetnews, quoting an Indian news report, said India was supplying Israel with advanced Hermes 900 drones manufactured in Hyderabad. “The report said the factory, established by Israel to supply these drones to the Indian military, converted 20 of them specifically for the IDF due to the shortage created during the war.”

In both these instances there was no official confirmation or comment from India and Israel.

In March, Israeli newspaper Haaretz had reported that the IDF used 70-year-old munitions and shells intended for training in India in Gaza. Faced with weapons shortages, the IDF, according to the report, has been using munitions dating back to the 1950s.

“Then there was the case of ‘the Indian munitions’. No one is sure why they earned this moniker. Legend has it that these were American munitions that came from emergency storehouses in India. Some of these left the factory in 1953, a decade before the first M109. Whatever their source, ultimately the soldiers had to try to accurately fire 70-year-old munitions. According to the US army, the maximal shelf life for such explosives is 40 years in optimal storage conditions of up to 30 degrees Celsius,” Haaretz reported.
Games & Sports, Politics, Sikkim

After consecutive defeats, Bhaichung Bhutia quits politics, ‘Simply not for me’

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 After the 2024 election results, I have had the realisation that electoral politics is simply not for me, he said

PTI, Gangtok, Jun 25 2024 : Indian football icon Bhaichung Bhutia on Tuesday announced that he was quitting politics, following his defeat in the recently held assembly elections in Sikkim.
Bhaichung, the vice president of the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), lost to SKM’s Rikshal Dorjee Bhutia in the Barfung seat, which marked his sixth electoral defeat.
He joined politics in 2014 when the ruling TMC in West Bengal named him as its candidate for the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat. In 2018, he took the plunge into the political arena of his state by forming the Hamro Sikkim Party. Last year, he merged his party with the Pawan Chamling-led SDF.
“Firstly, I would like to congratulate Mr PS Tamang and the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) for winning the assembly elections. The people of Sikkim have given them a resounding mandate and I hope the SKM govt will work to fulfil their promises and take Sikkim to greater heights across all sectors,” he said in a statement. 
“After the 2024 election results, I have had the realisation that electoral politics is simply not for me. I am therefore quitting all forms of electoral politics with immediate effect,” he added.
After losing the Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency to the BJP in 2014, the TMC fielded Bhutia as its candidate for the 2016 West Bengal assembly elections in the Siliguri seat, but he lost to the CPI(M). Following the formation of his party in 2018, he contested the 2019 Sikkim assembly elections from two seats but lost in both. He again unsuccessfully contested the by-election to the Gangtok assembly seat, which was held later that year.
He lost the recently held elections to the SKM by 4,346 votes.
Bhutia, the former Indian football captain, said he felt he had great ideas for the development of sports and tourism in Sikkim.
“…given a chance, I would have loved to implement and contribute to the growth of the state in a very honest and sincere way,” he said.
“Unfortunately it was not to be. I am certain there will be more people with better ideas to do so,” he said.
Bhutia said that his intention in politics was to do good for the people of the state and the country.
National, Politics

Om Birla vs K Suresh: First LS Speaker election as INDIA puts forth nominee

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 Opposition candidate K Suresh will be contesting against NDA’s Om Birla, in a first-ever election for the Speaker post since independence

PTI, New Delhi, Jun 25, 2024 : The ruling BJP-led NDA on Tuesday maintained its streak of continuity in its third term by fielding previous Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla for the crucial parliamentary position again, but its bid for a consensus was thwarted by the opposition which forced an election by nominating Kodikunnil Suresh as its candidate.

    The opposition’s last-minute decision to go for a rare contest came after senior BJP leaders did not agree to its precondition that the INDIA bloc must be offered the post of Deputy Speaker in lieu of supporting Birla, who is the clear favourites in case of an election.
    A brief interaction involving Congress leader K C Venugopal and DMK’s T R Baalu from the opposition side and Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah and J P Nadda, who is also the BJP president, at Singh’s office in Parliament to evolve a consensus ended in acrimony as both sides stuck to their position.
    Both opposition leaders walked out, with Venugopal accusing the government of not following the “convention” of an opposition candidate for the Deputy Speaker’s position and announcing the decision to field a candidate against Birla.
    Union ministers Piyush Goyal of the BJP and Lalan Singh of the JD(U) accused the opposition of resorting to pressure politics and putting forth preconditions despite senior ministers’ assurance that its demand will be considered when the time to pick the Deputy Speaker comes.
    “There can be no pressure politics,” Union minister and JD(U) leader Lalan Singh told reporters, while Goyal said democracy cannot be run on preconditions.
     The scheduled day for picking the Speaker is Wednesday and if an election occurs, it will be only the third time in Lok Sabha’s history, official sources said.
    With the NDA having 293 MPs in its kitty and the INDIA bloc 233, numbers clearly favour Birla in Lok Sabha, which currently has 542 members after Rahul Gandhi resigned from one of the two seats he was elected from. At least three independent members also support the opposition.
     The NDA is hopeful that some unaligned parties, including the YSR Congress having four MPs, will also back Birla.
    BJP sources claimed that the Congress has been the main aggressor on the issue and some other INDIA bloc members are not very keen on a contest.
    If Birla, the BJP MP from Kota, is elected, it will be fifth time that a Speaker would serve beyond the tenure of one Lok Sabha. Though Congress leader Balram Jakhar is the only presiding officer to have served two complete terms extending seventh and eighth Lok Sabha.
    A third-term MP, Birla is also a three-term former Rajasthan MLA and has risen through the ranks in the BJP. Suresh, his rival for the Speaker’s post, is a eighth-term MP from Kerala and hails from a Dalit community.
    If a division of votes takes place in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, then paper slips will be used as the electronic system is not operational yet in the new Lok Sabha where members are still in the process of being allocated their seats.
    Seasoned BJP leader Rajnath Singh had taken the lead in reaching out to opposition parties over the issue as Birla emerged as the NDA’s consensus choice and met its senior leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
    Suresh said it is not about winning or losing, but about a convention that Speaker will be of ruling party and deputy speaker from the opposition.
    “Last two Lok Sabhas, they denied us deputy speaker’s post because they said you are not recognised as the opposition. Now we are recognised as the opposition, (and) deputy speaker post is our right. But they are not ready to give us. Till 11.50, we were waiting for reply from government’s side but they did not give any reply,” he told reporters.
    Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said this has come barely 24 hours after the prime minister advocated consensus in running the country.
    “Convention has been that the Speaker is elected unanimously and the deputy speaker’s post goes to the opposition,” Ramesh said.
    He accused Prime Minister Modi of breaking this tradition.
    “It is actually no surprise. He has still not woken up to the reality of the 2024 poll verdict which was a PPM defeat for him–personal, political and moral,” he posted on X.
    Sources said more than 10 sets of nominations (called notices for motion) were filed in support of Birla’s candidature, including from Prime Minister Modi, Union ministers Shah, Singh and Nadda, and members of BJP allies like TDP, JD(U), JD(S) and LJP (R).
    Three sets of nominations were filed in support of Suresh.
    Known of its knack of springing surprises, the BJP leadership chose to stick to Birla in line with its decision to retains its old hands in key positions.
    Though the Speaker is independent of political and executive control, realpolitik considerations are often the driving force behind the choice for the Chair which is the nerve centre of Parliament’s functioning.
Politics, Regional

North Bengal civic bodies under line of fire from chief minister Mamata Banerjee

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The Bengal CM reprimanded Gautam Deb, mayor of Siliguri Municipal Corporation for poor performance of the civic body

Avijit Sinha, TT, Siliguri, 25.06.24 : Gautam Deb, the mayor of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC), came in the line of fire of chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday.

On one hand, the chief minister reprimanded him for poor performance of the civic body. On the other hand, she asked Deb to be proactive in stopping the highhandedness of land mafias who are grabbing government land and making illegal constructions.
“We are well aware of what is happening in the Sevoke Road, Kawakhali and Dabgram-Fulbari areas. Mafias are grabbing and selling government land. We have initiated a probe and will not spare these people. Gautam (Deb), you are here and you can’t evade your responsibility,” said Mamata, while speaking at the meeting in Nabanna.

She also asked the mayor to not only demolish illegal constructions but also restore the original condition of such land.

“Be tough. Don’t allow such highhandedness. We have information that a section of policemen and some people in the land (and land reforms) department is also linked to these land mafias,” Mamata told Deb.

In Siliguri and surroundings, highhandedness of land mafias is a major issue which has not been addressed in a major way so far. Several complaints have been registered with the police and the administration regaring the operations of land sharks.

“These land mafias have voted the BJP. It is because of their support that the BJP has won,” said Mamata.

Mamata also said four civic bodies in north Bengal performed “worst.”

The SMC, she said, is one of the worst-performing civic bodies in the state in providing drinking water, along with Alipurduar municipality.

The SMC, Mamata pointed out, has also performed miserably in the field of housing (including its failure to control illegal construction), along with Raiganj municipality.

The Dalkhola civic body, on the other hand, has been included in the list of worst-performers in the parameter of cleanliness.

In the course of the meeting, Mamata also sneered at Rabindranath Ghosh, the civic chairman of Cooch Behar, for the decision to increase mutation charges and some other taxes.

“Who are you to increase the taxes? Such an increase cannot be done without the state’s approval,” said Mamata, while addressing Ghosh.

The chief minister was equally critical over the functioning of certain development authorities and said the Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority (SJDA), has been dissolved.

“Hundreds of people have been engaged at these authorities….they simply sit idle. This will not be tolerated. We have dissolved SJDA and handed over the responsibility to the DM (of Darjeeling),” she said.

Courtesy & source- The Telegraph
National, Politics

CBI takes over 5 cases of alleged malpractices in NEET-UG from Bihar, Gujarat and Rajasthan

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Over 2 dozen students detained during march to Parliament
The CBI has re-registered one case each from Gujarat and Bihar and three cases from Rajasthan as its own FIR

PTI, New Delhi, Jun 24 2024 : The CBI has taken over the investigation of five new cases of alleged malpractices in the medical entrance exam NEET-UG that were being probed by police in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Bihar, officials said on Monday.

They said the central agency has re-registered one case each from Gujarat and Bihar and three cases from Rajasthan as its own FIR, while it is also likely to take up another case from Maharashtra’s Latur.
Barring the case from Bihar, the other four appear to be isolated incidents of impersonation and cheating by local officials, invigilators and candidates, the officials said.
The CBI has already registered its own FIR in connection with the case on a reference from the Union education ministry to conduct a comprehensive probe, they said.
After taking over these new cases, the CBI is now probing a total of six cases pertaining to alleged irregularities in NEET-UG, the officials said.
ALSO READ: ‘Abolish NEET, restore state-led exams’: Mamata Banerjee writes to PM Modi
NEET-UG is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country.
The examination was conducted on May 5 at 4,750 centres in 571 cities, including 14 abroad. Over 23 lakh candidates appeared for the test.
The first CBI FIR was registered on Sunday, a day after the ministry announced it would hand over the probe into the alleged irregularities in the conduct of the exam to the central agency, a demand raised by a section of students protesting in several cities.
“The ministry of education has requested the CBI to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the entire gamut of alleged irregularities, including conspiracy, cheating, impersonation, breach of trust and destruction of evidence by candidates, institutes and middlemen,” a CBI spokesperson said earlier.
The role of public servants, if any, connected with the conduct of the examination and also into the entire gamut of events and the larger conspiracy will also be under the scanner, officials have said.
Crime, National, Politics

6 held in Deoghar in NEET paper leak case

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 The six arrested from Jharkhand include a man known as Sintu, alias Chintu. The agency is delving into his past and present contacts to ascertain how far he was involved in the paper leak
Activists under the banner of Yuva Shakti stage a protest over the alleged irregularities in NEET 2024 results and UGC-NET 2024 exam cancellation, in Patna, Saturday, June 22: PTI photo

Dev Raj Patna, TT, 23.06.24 : Investigations by the Bihar police’s Economic Offences Unit (EOU) have indicated that a mafia specialising in leaking papers of competitive examinations compromised the NEET-UG and circulated the leaked paper with the help of other gangs in Bihar and Jharkhand.

The EOU arrested six people from Deoghar in Jharkhand late on Friday and brought them to Patna on Saturday for questioning after completing the necessary formalities. This has taken the number of arrests in the case to 19.

“We initially arrested 13 persons in the NEET-UG paper leak case being investigated by us. However, with the progress in our probe, and with technological surveillance and inputs provided by the National Testing Agency (NTA) which conducted the examination, we have arrested six more from Jharkhand. We have seized mobile phones and other electronic gadgets from them,” a senior EOU official told
The Telegraph.

The six arrested from Jharkhand include a man known as Sintu, alias Chintu. The agency is delving into his past and present contacts to ascertain how far he was involved in the paper leak.

“The actual name of this Sintu alias Chintu is something else,” the EOU official said.

“He (Sintu) has been associated with Sanjeev Mukhiya, who we believe to be the kingpin of the NEET-UG paper leak in Bihar and Jharkhand. He is currently absconding, but his son Shiv Kumar — a doctor — is currently in jail in connection with the Teacher Recruitment Exam-III paper leak,” the EOU official added.

The agency has also sent a notice to Pritam Kumar, personal secretary to leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, to appear for questioning after he was accused of facilitating the stay of four arrested candidates at the behest of Sikandar Kumar Yadvendu in an inspection bungalow belonging to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in Patna.

Sikandar is a junior engineer in the water resources department and has been accused in various instances of corruption. He was previously arrested in an LED light scam in Rohtas district and is now on suspension. The EOU considers him a link in the chain of transfer of the illegal NEET-UG papers.

The EOU submitted a status report on its investigations to the Union education ministry earlier this week. This includes the statements and alleged confessions of 13 arrested people, including four examinees.

The agency is preparing another report that will be submitted to the Supreme Court before it takes up the NEET-UG case for further hearing on July 8.