Category Archives: Politics

Will PM Modi take action against ‘corrupt’ BJP leaders, asks TMC

May 21, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

Soumyadip Mullick, MP, 20 May 2024, Kolkata: In the wake of the alleged recovery of unaccounted cash from two BJP leaders in two separate incidents, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) questioned whether PM Modi, who vociferously champions the fight against corruption, will take any decisive action against his party leaders.

On Monday, Abhishek Banerjee wrote on X: “On Stage: Na Khaunga Na Khane Doonga. Off Stage: Kaala Paisa Jamaunga Aur Jamaane Doonga! Will PM @narendramodi stick to his words and take action against BJP leader Samit Mandal, caught with unaccounted cash worth ₹35 lakhs right after the PM’s meeting in Kharagpur yesterday?”

He further wrote: “Yesterday, BJP leader Samit Mondal, who was on the dais at PM Modi’s meeting, was caught red-handed by district police with ₹35 lakh unaccounted cash. Today, the ECI has transferred the SP of the same district.

This is Modi’s guarantee: SAFE HAVEN FOR RAPISTS AND THE CORRUPT!” On Sunday night, TMC shared on social media that the district police seized Rs 35 lakh “unaccounted” cash from a BJP man identified as Samit Mondal, a close confidante of party candidate Agnimitra Paul.

TMC wrote on X: “Irony died a thousand deaths! On the same stage from which PM @narendramodi made this grand statement against corruption, stood BJP leader and @paulagnimitra1’s close aide, Samit Mandal, from whom the Dist. Police seized over Rs. 35 lakh of unaccounted cash. ‘

Khaunga bhi, aur khane bhi dunga [as long as you’re in the BJP]’ seems to be the real mantra of our PM Modi – the self-proclaimed crusader against corruption.” On Monday, Trinamool further alleged that unaccounted cash and firearms were seized from another BJP leader in Hooghly.

’ It wrote on X: “First Medinipur, now Hooghly – BJP’s corruption trail is spreading like wildfire. Rs. 35 lakh of undocumented cash was seized from BJP leader Samit Mandal at a Kharagpur hotel. If that weren’t enough, another BJP leader was nabbed in Hooghly with Rs. 2 lakh of unaccounted cash and unlicensed firearms.

All this is unfolding while PM Modi is gallivanting across Bengal, preaching against corruption. The hypocrisy!” Trinamool leader Chandrima Bhattacharya told the media that the BJP needs to answer what their leader was doing with so much unaccounted cash.

She said it was clear that this cash was meant for election purposes as Midnapore seat polls are due. She said it is not just a coincidence that the cash was recovered from a person close to BJP’s Midnapore seat candidate Agnimitra Paul.

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/will-pm-modi-take-action-against-corrupt-bjp-leaders-asks-tmc-564621

Crime, Politics, West Bengal

Three Raj Bhavan staff summoned by police seek more time

May 21, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

MP, 20 May 2024, Kolkata: Three Raj Bhavan staff, who were summoned by the police in connection with the probe relating to a case where a woman had accused the Governor C V Ananda Bose of sexual harassment, is learnt to have sought more time from the police.

It was reportedly learnt that the complainant had alleged that the three staff had kept her confined within the Raj Bhavan premises.

The police had hence summoned all three of them at the Hare Street Police Station on Sunday. However, none of them appeared at the station. The police have again summoned them on Tuesday but it has now come to light that the staff members have sought more time for appearance.

Sources said that the police do not want to give them more time, especially when they were summoned three times and each time they failed to appear. It was learnt that the police, if needed, may consider the arrest of these three staff.

It reportedly came to light that one among the three staff, S S Rajput has informed that he is out of station and has sought time for 10 days along with the copy of an FIR from the police. The other two have sought seven days-time and a copy of the same.

It was learnt that apart from these three, the police have also summoned four others and have sent notices under Section 160 of the CrPC. The summon list also includes the supervisor of the complainant who was contractual staff at Raj Bhavan.

The complainant is also learnt to have recorded her statement with the magistrate. She has alleged that the day she was sexually harassed, she was restrained from egressing Raj Bhavan.

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/three-raj-bhavan-staff-summoned-by-police-seek-more-time-564627

International, National, Politics, Regional

Nepal PM Prachanda wins vote of confidence in Parliament; fourth time in 18 months

May 21, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

PTI, Kathmandu, May 20 2024 : Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda’ on Monday won a vote of confidence in Parliament, allowing him to lead a coalition government in the Himalayan nation while attempting to maintain political stability amidst frequent power struggles.

Prachanda, 69, a former guerilla leader from the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) — the third largest party in the House of Representatives (HoR) — received 157 votes in the 275-member House of Representatives.

The government required at least 138 votes to win the vote of trust.

In total, 158 lawmakers took part in the voting. The main Opposition Nepali Congress boycotted the voting process and chanted slogans against Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane, accused of misappropriating cooperative funds, leading to the delay in the session. One HoR member remained neutral. Speaker Dev Raj Ghimire announced that Prachanda had won the floor test as he got a majority in Parliament.

This was the fourth time that Prachanda sought a vote of confidence in the House since he assumed prime ministership in December 2022.

The vote comes days after one of the coalition partners, Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP), withdrew its support last week for his government while quitting the coalition government.

Earlier, the voting had to be delayed due to obstructions caused by the Nepali Congress, which has been demanding the formation of a Parliamentary probe committee to investigate Lamichhane’s alleged involvement in the scam.

According to constitutional provisions, a prime minister has to take a vote of confidence after an ally withdraws support to the ruling coalition.

Earlier on March 13, Prime Minister Dahal won his third consecutive vote of confidence, days after he dumped the Nepali Congress and forged a new alliance with the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist).

Last year, Prachanda faced a floor test after former prime minister KP Sharma Oli-led CPN-UML withdrew its support to the Prachanda-led government following a rift over backing the main opposition party’s candidate for the presidential poll.

Prachanda is serving a third time as prime minister, although he did not complete the full five-year term during previous stints.

In the past few decades, three big parties the Nepali Congress, the CPN-UML, and the Maoist Centre have ruled the country turn by turn, forever changing coalitions and partners at their convenience.

Nepal has had 13 governments since it abolished its 239-year-old monarchy in 2008 and became a republic.

National, Politics

Violence mars fifth phase of polls in Bengal, 73% voter turnout till 5 pm

May 21, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

The voters’ turnout in Bangaon was 75.73 per cent till 5 pm on Monday, much lesser than 82.63% in 2019 and 84.14 in 2021

People wait in queues at a polling station to cast their votes for Karnataka Assembly elections

PTI, Kolkata, May 21 2024 : Scattered incidents of violence marred the fifth phase of Lok Sabha polls to seven parliamentary constituencies in West Bengal, with 73 per cent of the 12.5 million voters exercising their franchise till 5 pm on Monday, officials said.

Voter turnout was lesser than the previous four phases, and also in comparison to the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The final voter turnout for this election, however, will be released later.

“Polling was more or less peaceful, barring a few scattered incidents of violence in some constituencies. But we took immediate steps to address those,” state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Ariz Aftab told PTI.

Although no major incident was reported, scattered disturbances could not be averted despite the poll body deploying over 60,000 personnel of central forces, in addition to around 30,000 policemen, the highest number of security forces deployed in any of the phases so far in the state, the official said, adding a total of 1,992 complaints were received.

Arambagh Lok Sabha constituency registered the highest turnout of 76.90 per cent till 5 pm, which was lesser than 82.57 per cent recorded in 2019 and 85.10 per cent in the 2021 assembly polls.

The voters’ turnout in Bangaon was 75.73 per cent till 5 pm on Monday, much lesser than 82.63 per cent in 2019 and 84.14 in 2021, he said.

Uluberia recorded 74.50 per cent turnout, lesser than 81.16 per cent in 2019 and 83.87 per cent in the 2021 polls. The voter turnout was 74.17 per cent for Hooghly, lesser than 82.47 per cent in 2019 and 83.12 in 2021..

Serampore registered a voter turnout of 71.18 per cent. The figure was 78.48 per cent in 2019 and 79.35 per cent in 2021.

Barrackpore, which recorded 68.84 per cent turnout, had registered 76.92 per cent voting in 2019 and 76.24 per cent in 2021, the official said.

Howrah recorded 68.84 per cent, down from 74.78 per cent in 2019 and 75.59 in 2021.

Polling began at 7 am and continued till 6 pm.

In Hooghly constituency, BJP’s sitting MP and party candidate Locket Chatterjee faced protests from TMC activists led by TMC MLA Ashima Patra.

As Chatterjee was on her way to a booth, TMC activists staged protests and raised “chor chor (thief thief) slogans, following which, the BJP MP got down from her car and shouted counter slogans.

A huge contingent of police and central forces rushed to the spot and prevented the situation from escalating.

In Barrackpore, BJP candidate and MP Arjun Singh faced protests outside a booth. TMC activists showed black flags and raised slogans against him.

As Singh protested against the slogans, clashes ensued between the TMC and BJP supporters. The central police personnel accompanying Singh and present outside the booth resorted to baton charge to disperse the mob.

BJP leader Kaustav Bagchi also faced protests while on his way to Titagarh as his car was pelted with stones. One person was arrested in connection with the incident.

Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from various parts of Howrah constituency.

A fake voter was nabbed in Bally and a polling agent arrested was arrested in Ghushuri.

A president officer was also removed for allegedly molesting a female polling agent, the official said.

On an incident of a central force personnel allegedly molesting a local woman in Uluberia, he said that the entire group of security forces deployed at the polling station was shifted from there to another constituency.

A total of 12.5 million voters, including 6.172 million women and 348 transgender persons, were eligible to exercise their franchise in 13,481 polling stations.

The commission had designated over 57 per cent of the polling stations as sensitive.

Altogether 88 candidates were in the fray in the fifth phase, with the highest number of 15 contestants in Bongaon.

National, Politics

Supreme Court refuses to entertain plea against new criminal laws, allows withdrawal of petition

May 20, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita encompasses offences, such as acts of secession, armed rebellion, subversive activities, separatist activities or endangering the sovereignty or unity of the country, in a new avatar of the sedition law

PTI, New Delhi, 20.05.24 : The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a petition which challenged the enactment of three new laws that seek to overhaul India’s penal codes.

A vacation bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal allowed petitioner advocate Vishal Tiwari to withdraw the plea.

The Lok Sabha, on December 21 last year, passed three key legislations — the Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill. President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the bills on December 25.

These new laws — the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Act — will replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the Indian Evidence Act respectively.

At the outset, the bench told Tiwari, “We are dismissing it (petition)”.

The bench said these laws have not come into force so far.

As the court showed its disinclination to entertain the plea, Tiwari urged that he be allowed to withdraw the petition.

“The petition has been filed in a very casual and cavalier manner,” the bench observed, adding, “If you had argued more, we would have dismissed it with cost but since you are not arguing, we are not imposing cost”. Seeking a stay on the operation of the three new laws, the PIL filed by Tiwari had claimed they were enacted without any parliamentary debate as most of the opposition members were under suspension.

The plea had sought directions from the court for the immediately constitution of an expert committee that will assess the viability of the three new criminal laws.

“The new criminal laws are far more draconian and establish a police state in reality and violate every provision of fundamental rights of the people of India. If the British laws were considered colonial and draconian, then the Indian laws stand now far more draconian as, in the British period, you could keep a person in police custody for a maximum of 15 days. Extending 15 days to 90 days and more is a shocking provision enabling police torture,” the plea had claimed.

According to the new laws, anyone purposely or knowingly, by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, by visible representation, by electronic communication, by use of financial means, or otherwise, excites or attempts to excite secession or an armed rebellion or subversive activities, or encourages feelings of separatist activities or endangers the sovereignty or unity and integrity of India or indulges in or commits any such act shall be punished with imprisonment for life or with imprisonment that may extend to seven years and shall also be liable to fine.

According to IPC section 124A, which deals with sedition, anyone involved in the crime may be punished with life imprisonment or with a three-year jail term.

Also, for the first time, the word “terrorism” has been defined in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. It was absent in the IPC. Under the new laws, the magistrate’s power to impose fines has been increased as well as the scope for declaring a proclaimed offender.

Crime, Misc, National, Politics

SC to hear today plea against newcriminal laws passed by Parliament

May 20, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

PTI, New Delhi, May 19, 2024 : The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday a petition challenging the enactment of three new laws that seek to overhaul India’s penal codes claiming that they suffer from many “defects and discrepancies”.

A vacation bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal is likely to hear the matter.

Seeking a stay on the operation of the three new laws, the PIL filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari has said they were enacted without any parliamentary debate as most of the opposition members were under suspension.

The plea has sought directions from the court for the immediately constitution of an expert committee that will assess the viability of the three new criminal laws.

According to IPC section 124A, which deals with sedition, anyone involved in the crime may be punished with life imprisonment or with a three-year jail term. Under the new laws, “Rajdroh” has got a new term, “Deshdroh”, doing away with the reference to the British crown. Loosely explained, “Rajdroh” refers to a rebellion or an act against the ruler, while “Deshdroh” represents such acts against the nation.

Politics, West Bengal

EC issues notices to BJP’s West Bengal chief over ads targeting TMC : Majumdar has been asked to respond by 5 pm on May 21

May 20, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

Majumdar has been asked to respond by 5 pm on May 21

PTI, May 18, 2024 : The Election Commission on Saturday issued two separate show-cause notices to West Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar for “misleading” advertisements targeting the state’s ruling TMC.

The poll watchdog has sought his response as to why the two advertisements should not be treated as violative of the model code of conduct and its advisory to political parties.

Majumdar has been asked to respond by 5 pm on May 21.

According to the English transcript provided in the notices, one advertisement is titled “Trinamool is root cause of corruption” while the other is titled “Anti-Sanatan Trinamool”.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) had approached the Election Commission against the advertisements.

While issuing the notices, the poll watchdog reminded the BJP leader about the provisions of the model code of conduct, which deals with criticism based on unverified allegations, and its recent advisory to parties that states unverified and misleading advertisements should not be published in the media.

Politics, Regional, Religion, West Bengal

‘Never indulged in politics’: Bengal monks dismiss Mamata’s allegation : Mamata accused some monks of working in favour of BJP

May 20, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

PTI, May 19, 2024 : Amid a raging controversy over West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accusing some monks of two prominent monastic orders of working in favour of the BJP in the elections, the religious bodies on Sunday claimed that they have always stayed away from politics and never sought votes for candidates of any party.

Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress supremo, had in an election rally on Saturday alleged that some monks of two prominent monastic orders in West Bengal were working “under instructions of the BJP”.

Banerjee had alleged that some monks of Ramakrishna Mission had asked devotees in Asansol to vote in favour of BJP, while a monk of Bharat Sevashram Sangha had forbidden a TMC agent to sit at a polling station in Baharampur in Murshidabad.

Referring to the allegations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at a rally in Purulia on Sunday, said that TMC has gone “beyond limits” by spreading canards against Ramakrishna Mission and Bharat Sevashram Sangha and that Banerjee was “threatening them” to appease her vote bank.

Both Ramakrishna Mission and Bharat Sevashram Sangha dismissed the allegations and asserted that they focus only on service to the society.

A senior monk at Ramakrishna Mission’s headquarters at Belur said, “We are pained and anguished at the insinuations… we do not wish to be implicated in any controversy… thousands of visitors from all walks of life come to our premises to pray and meditate, including the PM and the CM… everyone is same for us.”

“We try to spread among people the eternal values of religion and spiritualism. To my knowledge, neither the mission nor any monk of our order had asked anyone to vote for any particular party,” he added.

A spokesperson of the Bharat Sevashram Sangha said, “From cyclones to COVID, we have always rushed to the aid of the affected in far flung areas. We are a 107-year-old organisation and our monks run charitable health clinics, hospitals and educational institutions across the country. Neither had we ever been involved in politics nor we will be in the future.”

Leader of Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, said in a post on X, “I stand with Bharat Sevashram Sangha, I stand with ISKCON, I stand with all revered Hindu monks.”

Adhikari later told reporters that the monks are widely revered by people of West Bengal and respected by all communities for their service to the poor.

“Her statement was condemned by all,” Adhikari said.

State Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said that Banerjee’s comments showed “how she uses monks for her own political interest and when ties sour for some reason, she speaks against them”.

“The monk concerned (of Murshidabad) against whom she levelled charges used to be very close to her. She had even used him against me in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Apparently, their equations have changed with the emergence of the BJP,” he alleged.

National, Politics, Regional, West Bengal

TMC insulting faith of Hindus, infiltrators changing demography of Bengal: Modi

May 20, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

PTI, Medinipur (WB), May 19 2024 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused the TMC of insulting the faith of Hindus to appease its vote bank and asserted that infiltrators are “perilous” to West Bengal since they are “disturbing” the demography of the state.

Addressing his third election rally in West Bengal during the day, the Prime Minister said, “Infiltrators, who are the vote bank of the TMC, is a threat to the state as in many areas, Hindus have become fewer in number.”

“In Bengal, TMC is synonymous with terrorism, corruption, appeasement and nepotism. To appease its vote bank, the TMC is insulting the Hindu society and its faith. The entire country is angry due to the recent derogatory statement made by West Bengal CM,” he said at the Medinipur rally.

Modi was referring to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s recent remarks against Ramakrishna Mission and Bharat Sevashram Sangha.

The PM said that ongoing infiltration in West Bengal is “fast changing the demography” of the state.

“TMC’s appeasement has disturbed Bengal’s demography. Infiltration has disturbed the state’s demography. The TMC calls people from other states ‘outsiders’. However, it embraces infiltrators,” he said.

He also said, “Infiltrators are perilous to Bengal since they are disturbing the state’s demography. In many parts, Hindus have become a minority.”

Modi alleged, “Infiltrators are capturing the land of Dalits and the underprivileged. Our daughters and sisters are not safe anymore.”

The Prime Minister said in areas where infiltrators are in majority, “the TMC considers those as safe seats.”

“The TMC government kowtowing before its vote bank doesn’t deserve your votes. Teach TMC a lesson in this election,” he said.

Criticising the TMC for opposing the CAA in Bengal, Modi said, “Due to vote bank politics, they are opposing it.”

“The TMC welcomes infiltrators, but the West Bengal CM opposes the persecuted Hindus from neighbouring countries getting citizenship. I had promised to give citizenship to these refugee families. They are our brothers and sisters. However, TMC opposes the CAA, stating that they will not let it be implemented in Bengal and withdraw it,” he said.

Reaching out to the Matua community of the state, who are expected to benefit most from the CAA, he said, “Till Modi is alive, you won’t be able to do anything against the CAA. CAA is a law to accord citizenship.”

“The TMC is spreading lies, claiming that it will revoke citizenship as soon as the forms are filled,” he said.

Earlier, while addressing an election rally at Bishnupur, Modi said, “The refugee families of West Bengal will also soon get their citizenship under the CAA.”

“I am happy that the first batch has received citizenship under the CAA,” he said.

The first set of citizenship certificates under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act was issued Wednesday in New Delhi to 14 people, nearly two months after rules under the contentious law were notified to grant Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from three neighbouring countries.

This comes in the midst of the general elections which started on April 19. The last phase of polling will be held on June 1 while counting will take place on June 4.

The CAA was enacted in December 2019 for granting Indian nationality to persecuted Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi and Christian migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who came to India on or before December 31, 2014.

After the enactment, the CAA got the president’s assent but the rules under which the Indian citizenship was granted were issued on March 11 after over a delay of four years.

National, Politics

Fifth phase: Voting to be held today on 49 LS seats; Amethi, Rae Bareli among high-profile contests; EC flags urban apathy

May 20, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

The Election Commission on Sunday said 89.5 million electors would be eligible to cast their voters on the 49 seats. Simultaneous polling for 35 Assembly seats will be held in Odisha

PTI, 19 May 2024 : Polling will be held on Monday in 49 constituencies in six states and two UTs in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections that will decide the electoral fate of several prominent leaders like former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani and former J-K chief minister Omar Abdullah.

Over 8.95 crore people, including 4.26 crore females and 5,409 third-gender electors, are eligible to vote in this round and 9.47 lakh polling officials have been deployed across 94,732 polling stations.

Among the seats going to polls, 13 are in Maharashtra, 14 in Uttar Pradesh, seven in West Bengal, five in Bihar, three in Jharkhand, five in Odisha, one in J-K and the lone seat in Ladakh. This round covers the least number of seats (49) in the seven-phase elections.

It is another important phase for the BJP as over 40 of these seats were with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

On the eve of poling, the Election Commission on Sunday pointed out that Mumbai, Thane and Lucknow have shown apathy towards voting in the past and asked city dwellers there to turn out in higher numbers.

The poll authority noted that in the past these cities have “suffered” from urban apathy in voting. “The Commission especially calls upon these city dwellers to erase the stigma by turning out in higher numbers,” it said.

So far, the last four phases have registered a total voter turnout of 66.95 per cent.

Other prominent candidates include Union ministers Piyush Goyal (Mumbai North, Maharashtra), Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti (Fatehpur, UP) and Shantanu Thakur (Bangaon, WB); LJP (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan (Hajipur, Bihar), Shiv Sena’s Shrikant Shinde (Kalyan, Maharashtra), and BJP’s Rajiv Pratap Rudy and RJD president Lalu Prasad’s daughter Rohini Acharya (both Saran, Bihar).

Voting will also be held in 35 assembly constituencies in Odisha, where BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is among the candidates.

In Maharashtra, where polling will be held in 13 Lok Sabha constituencies, including six in Mumbai, Piyush Goyal, Bharati Pawar (Dindori) and Kapil Patil (Bhiwandi) are among the key nominees of the BJP, which has also fielded prominent lawyer Ujjwal Nikam (Mumbai North Central).

Shiv Sena’s Shrikant Shinde (Kalyan) and city Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad (Mumbai North Central) are also among the candidates in this phase, which is the last for the state in this election.

In Uttar Pradesh, Rajnath Singh (Lucknow), Irani (Amethi), Jyoti, Kaushal Kishor (Mohanlalganj) and Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma (Jalaun) are the five Union ministers in the fray. Voting will also take place for the assembly bypolls to the Lucknow East assembly constituency.

Rahul Gandhi, who has contested from Wayanad in Kerala, is also in the fight for Rae Bareli, a Nehru-Gandhi family pocket borough represented by his mother Sonia Gandhi since 2004. The BJP has fielded UP minister Dinesh Pratap Singh.

In Amethi, Irani, who had defeated Rahul Gandhi in 2019, is seeking a second term, while KL Sharma, an aide of the Gandhi family, has been fielded by the Congress.

Senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh is eyeing a fourth term from Lucknow. He is up against SP MLA from Lucknow Central Ravidas Mehrotra.

In the Faizabad Lok Sabha seat, which covers the temple town of Ayodhya, the electoral contest is mainly between sitting BJP MP Lallu Singh, who is seeking a hat-trick, and Awadhesh Prasad, the SP MLA from Milkipur (SC) assembly constituency in Ayodhya.

In Baramulla, besides Omar Abdullah, former separatist Sajad Lone, ex-MLA Sheikh Abdul Rashid alias ‘Engineer Rashid’, currently lodged in the Tihar jail, and the PDP’s former Rajya Sabha member Fayaz Ahmad Mir are among the 21 others contesting.

More than 500 centenarians are among the 17.37 lakh voters eligible to exercise their franchise in the constituency, with political observers expecting a high turnout on the back of the huge crowds that thronged election rallies and roadshows in the first major political battle post the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

In Ladakh, Congress candidate Tsering Namgyal, BJP’s Tashi Gyalson, and Independent candidate and NC rebel Haji Hanifa Jan are locked in a keen contest.

Security has been stepped up in West Bengal’s seven constituencies which have a history of election-related violence, with over 57 per cent of the polling stations identified as sensitive in this phase, the highest till now in this Lok Sabha election.

Over 60,000 personnel of central forces and around 30,000 personnel of the state police, have been deployed, which is more than in the four previous phases in the state, an official said.

BJP’s Arjun Singh, who has been in and out of the saffron party and the Trinamool Congress on four occasions in the last five years, is taking on West Bengal minister Partha Bhowmick in Barrackpore in a bid to retain the seat he won in 2019.

Actor Rachana Banerjee has been fielded by the TMC to stop actor and BJP candidate Locket Chatterjee from winning a straight second term from Hooghly.

In Serampore, the TMC’s sitting MP Kalyan Banerjee is fighting against the BJP’s Kabir Shankar Bose.

Voting will take place in Saran, Muzaffarpur, Hajipur, Sitamarhi and Madhubani Lok Sabha seats of Bihar, which are all with the NDA.

In Hajipur, the primary contest is between Chirag Paswan, whose late father Ram Vilas Paswan had won the seat eight times, and RJD’s Shiv Chandra Ram, a former MLA and ex-minister in the state.

Former Union minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy’s bid to score a hat-trick in Saran has been challenged by RJD president Lalu Prasad’s daughter Rohini Acharya, who had donated her kidney to her father.

Voting in three Jharkhand Lok Sabha constituencies Chatra, Koderma and Hazaribag and by-election in Gandey assembly seat, where Kalpana Soren, the wife of jailed former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren, is contesting, will take place on Monday.

An interesting fight is expected in the Koderma Lok Sabha seat where Union Minister and BJP candidate Annapurna Devi is up against Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation nominee Vinod Singh, an MLA from Bagodar assembly constituency.

In Odisha, CM Patnaik is contesting from two assembly segments — Hinjili under the Aska Lok Sabha seat in Ganjam district and Kantabanji under the Bolangir parliamentary constituency.

Apart from Patnaik, major contestants include around half a dozen Odisha ministers, BJP’s sitting MPs Jual Oram and Sangeeta Singh Deo, BJD MP Achyut Samant and former Indian Hockey captain Dilip Tirkey.

Around 45.1 crore electors have exercised their franchise in the last four phases.

Polling for 23 states and Union territories and 379 seats has been completed so far.

The sixth and seventh phases are on May 25 and June 1 respectively. The counting of votes is on June 4.

National, Politics

Demand for statehood, 6th Schedule in focus: Ladakh Independent candidate

May 19, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

PTI, Kargil, May 18, 2024 : Amid a three-cornered fight in Ladakh, Independent candidate Mohammad Haneefa Jan said his focus remains on the demands such as safeguards under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and statehood raised with the Union government.

Haneefa, who was a National Conference (NC) leader till recently, quit the party along with the entire Kargil unit to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Ladakh. While he belongs to Kargil, INDIA bloc’s Tsering Namgyal and BJP’s Tashi Gyalson are from Leh.

It is believed that being the lone candidate from Kargil gives Haneefa an edge over the other two candidates.

Of the around 1,84,000 voters in Ladakh, Kargil has around 95,000 voters while Leh has around 89,000 voters, according to the local officials. With votes from Leh likely to split between Congress’s Namgyal and BJP’s Tashi Gyalson, Haneefa seems to have an advantage.

Haneefa told PTI that he is getting support from all social and religious groups in Kargil. His team is also campaigning in the Leh district with a four-point demand in focus.

The Ladakh seat was given to the Congress under the seat-sharing arrangement of the INDIA bloc. Namgyal, the leader of opposition in Leh Autonomous Hill Development Council, was announced as their candidate.

The entire unit of the NC in Kargil resigned citing pressure to support the Congress candidate. The local unit of the Congress is also backing Haneefa.

“We were hoping that the Congress will give a chance to a candidate from Kargil this time. We had decided that we will give a candidate from the NC.

“I had already been announced as the candidate. Unfortunately, the decision went in favour of Leh,” Haneefa told PTI in an interview.

He said under the seat-sharing deal of the INDIA bloc, the Ladakh seat was given to the Congress. The NC’s Kargil unit was under pressure to support the Congress candidate.

“We said the whole Kargil is united. The whole NC’s Kargil unit resigned,” he said.

Haneefa said supporting the opposition bloc candidate from Leh could have worked in favour of the BJP.

“It was not possible to support the Leh candidate at the ground level. That would have meant the BJP’s victory or the emergence of some other independent candidate,” he said.

At his rallies in Kargil, ‘ittehad’ or unity is the key word, as all social, political and religious groups are backing him under the banner of Ladakh Democratic Alliance (LDA).

For Haneefa, the focus remains on the four demands being raised by the Ladakhis — safeguards under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, statehood, job reservations and a separate public service commission. Two separate Lok Sabha seats for Kargil and Leh are also on his agenda.

He said the Union Territory status for Ladakh was originally the demand of the people from Leh. The people of Kargil wanted to remain with Jammu and Kashmir. But in today’s scenario, the people of Kargil are also on the same page over the demands.

“This is the first time in history that Kargil and Leh are unitedly fighting over something. We have staged protests in Leh, Kargil, Jammu and at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Unfortunately, in the last five years, the elected MP did not raise the issues of Ladakh.

Haneefa was referring to Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, the outgoing Ladakh MP, who was replaced with Gyalson as the BJP candidate from the constituency in these Lok Sabha elections.

“Maybe he was under some pressure from his party. He became a representative of the party and not of the people of Ladakh. He kept trying to please his party leaders by talking about Kashmir and not about the people of Ladakh,” Haneefa said.

“Had he (Jamyang Tsering Namgyal) been a representative of Ladakh, he would have acted as a bridge between the government and the people. Maybe our message could have reached the leadership,” he said.

Haneefa claimed that despite the regional divide, all communities in Kargil are supporting him. His team is also campaigning in Leh, where the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA), a prominent religious body, has said the focus remains on their demands for safeguards and democracy.

“Earlier the divide was on a regional and religious basis. But today, Buddhist, Christians and Sikhs, all are together. We are united over the issue of Ladakh.

“The LBA president also said we will support the candidates who are secular and talk about the interests of Ladakh. That is why we are able to campaign openly in Leh as well. Many Buddhist brothers called me and welcomed that I was fighting elections on the four demands,” he said.

Haneefa stressed that implementation of both statehood and Sixth Schedule are extremely important here in order to protect the local culture, identity, as well as interests of people, specially when it comes to employment.

“Ladakh has a very huge area but a very low population. If a large number of outsiders come here, we will be finished,” he said.

Ladakh, which holds the distinction of being India’s largest constituency in terms of area, will go to polls on May 20. This is the first time Lok Sabha elections are being held here since the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir which paved the way for the creation of Ladakh as a Union Territory but without legislature.

Crime, Northeast, Politics

Four militants of the banned outfit Kangleipak Communist Party arrested in Manipur

May 19, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

PTI, IMPHAL, MAY 18, 2024 : Four militants of the banned outfit Kangleipak Communist Party (People War Group) were arrested by a combined team of Manipur Police and Assam Rifles in Thoubal district, an officer said on Friday.

“Acting on intelligence inputs about the presence of militants, a coordinated operation was launched at Yairipok Bazaar area during which the militants were arrested on Thursday,” the police officer said.

The officer said five mobile handsets, two 9mm pistols with 15 live rounds, five demand letters, twenty 5.56 mm ammunition, four 7.62mm ammunition were seized from the possession of arrested militants.

Police also apprehended one active member of the proscribed outfit KCP (Taibanganba) organization from Imphal West district on Thursday.
The arrested militant was involved in extortion of money from shops located at Paona and Thangal bazar in the Imphal area, police said, adding one .32 pistol along with four live round ammunition were seized from his possession.

Crime, Politics, Regional, West Bengal

FIR against 3 Raj Bhavan officials for ‘restraining’ woman who accused Guv of molestation

May 19, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

PTI, Kolkata, May 18, 2024 : A case was lodged against three officials of the Raj Bhavan here for allegedly wrongfully restraining the woman, who accused Governor C V Ananda Bose of molesting her, police said on Saturday.

The FIR against the three officials was lodged at the Hare Street police station after the woman, a contractual employee of Raj Bhavan, recorded her statement before a magistrate in the molestation case, a police officer said.

“The three officers have been included in the FIR for stopping the complainant woman from leaving Raj Bhawan by wrongfully restraining her on May 2. We will investigate their roles on that evening,” the officer said.

On May 2, the woman had alleged molestation by Bose following which the Kolkata Police started a probe.

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

National, Politics, Regional, West Bengal

A right lesson has to be taught to BJP: Abhishek – TMC will play decisive roll in formation of INDIA bloc govt, claims MP

May 19, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

PTI, Kolkata, May 18, 2024 : Asserting that electors of the country will teach a lesson to the BJP in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday claimed that the term of the saffron party-led NDA government at the Centre will expire soon.

Addressing a rally in Kultali in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district in support of Trinamool Congress candidate from Jaynagar Pratima Mandal, Banerjee blamed the BJP for “making the lives of poor people miserable”.

“A right lesson has to be taught to the BJP which always makes empty promises. The saffron party has stopped making payments to West Bengal under various central schemes like 100-day work and housing programmes,” he said.

Banerjee, also the nephew of Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, said the “central government every year takes away Rs 1.20 lakh crore from West Bengal and the state owes Rs 1.65 lakh crore from the Centre on account of various schemes”.

He also claimed that though the Centre is “not making payments” under various schemes, the West Bengal government is “meeting up all these monetary dues of the poor from its exchequer”.

The TMC has accused the BJP-led NDA government of withholding dues to Bengal under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and Gramin Awas Yojana.

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005 aims at enhancing the livelihood security of households in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year.

The time has come to secure the basic rights of the people, Banerjee said.

“The state government, through various social welfare schemes like the ‘Laskhmir Bhandar’, is making efforts to financially help the people of West Bengal,” he said.

‘Laskhmir Bhandar’ is a popular welfare scheme of the TMC government, which provides a monthly allowance of Rs 1,000 for general-category women and Rs 1,200 for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe women in the state.

The Trinamool Congress MP also alleged that under the present dispensation at the Centre, the “poor are becoming poorer and the rich getting richer”.

“The term of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre will expire soon, which will be evident once the Lok Sabha election results are out on June 4. The INDIA bloc will form the government and the Trinamool Congress will play a decisive role,” he claimed.

He also accused the saffron camp of orchestrating a conspiracy to defame the women of Sandeshkhali by “paying them to make false rape allegations”.

“Also see, how Tamluk BJP candidate Abhijit Gangopadhay had made obnoxious comments against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The BJP should be thrown away into the Bay of Bengal”, the TMC leader said at the rally.

A purported video in which BJP nominee and former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay was heard wondering about “the amount at which Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is getting sold,” triggered a row with the TMC labelling it as the saffron party’s guarantee of disrespecting women, while the BJP raised doubts about the clip’s authenticity.

PTI, however, couldn’t verify the authenticity of the video.

Banerjee said that the BJP always delves into “divisive politics” and is “not bothered about social and economic uplift of the poor”.

Later speaking at a roadshow at Diamond Harbour from where he is contesting in the Lok Sabha polls, Banerjee said, “Central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate had tormented my family by summoning in fabricated cases against us”.

Banerjee, who is also the sitting MP from the constituency, said the time has come now to give a reply in a befitting manner.

The Trinamool Congress leader said the “saffron party will have to be immersed democratically so that development of the state continues unabated”.

The BJP seeks votes in the “name religion and always believed in divisive politics”, he alleged.

National, Politics

Article 370 buried in ‘kabristan’, Cong should

May 19, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

PTI, Sonipat (Haryana), May 18, 2024 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday kept up the attack on the Congress, saying it should forget the “dream” of bringing back Article 370 as it has been “buried” in the “kabristan (graveyard)”.

Addressing a rally at Gohana, his second of the day in Haryana after one at Ambala, Modi referred to the Lok Sabha polls as a “Kurukshetra (battle)” in which “there is development on one hand and ‘vote jihad’ on the other”.

Striking a chord with the locals, Modi referred to Gohana’s famous “Matu Ram ki jalebi” to target the opposition INDIA bloc, saying it has a formula of having five prime ministers in five years if they come to power. “Ask them is the prime minister’s post our Matu Ram ki jalebi,” he told the crowd.

“In the 2024 ‘kurukshetra’, there is development on one hand and ‘vote jihad’ on the other,” he said. “I want to ask the people of Haryana… who will win?”

He waited for the crowd to respond before saying, “Your reply has decided ‘Phir Ek Baar’,” and the crowd went, “Modi Sarkar.”

Modi said now the Congress is not even hiding its “desh-virodhi agenda (anti-national agenda)”. They are saying openly what Modi did in 10 years they will reverse it if they come to power, he said.

But their “dream” of bringing Article 370 back will never be fulfilled, he added. “They are saying that we will restore Article 370 in Kashmir… This means once again a free run for terrorism and bloodshed in the Valley.”

“From the brave land of Haryana, I want to tell those associated with the Congress that only tricolour will fly in Kashmir now,” he said.

“Forget the dream of bringing back 370 in Kashmir. And if you try to do it ‘lene k dene padd jayenge’ (you will to pay very heavy price),” he said. “Dhara 370 ki deewar hamne kabristan me gaad di hai….We have buried the hurdle of Article 370 in the kabristan (graveyard).”

Earlier at the Ambala poll rally too, Modi attacked the Congress and said it was his “dhakad” (strong) government that removed the Article 370 impedient and as a result, Jammu and Kashmir is now moving on the path of progress.

Back at Gohana in Sonipat, Modi said the Congress is out of power for 10 years and therefore they are jittery. They are remembering their old days when the “shahi parivar” used to run government with a remote control, he said, adding all government schemes used to be in the name of only one family and there was corruption too.

During the Congress rule, he said, firing at the borders and ceasefire violations used to be in the headlines regularly.

But under his government, he said, the situation has changed even though the enemy is the same. It is not Modi, but the power of a vote of people which changed the situation, he added.

Modi said he gave the soldiers, including the brave soldiers from Haryana, guarding the borders a free hand.

The Congress and INDIA alliance are not able to digest these decisions, Modi said.

“They cannot see this situation of Pakistan. Now people associated with the Congress have become Pakistan’s spokespersons and are saying the neighbouring country has nuclear bomb.”

“Tell me, should India be scared of Pakistan?” he asked the gathering.”Ye Modi ka daur hai, hum ghar mein ghus ke marte hai (This is Modi’s period, we hit the enemy inside its territory).”

He railed against the opposition INDIA bloc, calling it a gang of the corrupt. (Jamaat of ghotalebaaz).” “They want power at any cost. And what is that cost? It is the country’s security, stability and respect. And five prime ministers in five years. This is their formula to run the government,” he said.

“Will the country benefit, if there is new PM each year. What will they do? Will you allow the country to go back to that period of instability.”

Accusing the Congress of appeasement politics, Modi said its manifesto has Muslim League imprint. “It will X-ray your land, jewellery, will get property inquired, where is Mangalsutra, all of this property, which is in excess of your requirement, will be distributed among those who do Vote Jihad,” he said.

“Will you allow your property to be snatched away? Will you allow those who do Vote Jihad have rights on your property.”

He also attacked the Congress by mentioning the 2006 remark then PM Manmohan Singh and on the issue of “inheritance tax”.

Accusing the Congress of backstabbing Babasaheb B R Ambedkar and shredding the Constitution, Modi said the party wants to give reservation meant for SC, ST and OBC to Muslims.

“They have started this in Karnataka. After forming the government, they declared all Muslims as OBC and as a result, they robbed the OBC of their share, looted a big chunk of it while the original OBC were left in the lurch,” said Modi.

He also alleged the Congress created as many obstacles as it could in the Ram Temple construction to make those who do ‘Vote Jihad’ happy. “They have so much hatred towards Lord Ram that they rejected the invitation (for consecration ceremony).”

Whereas Iqbal Ansari, who fought against Ram Mandir in court, attended the ceremony, he said.

Modi alleged “INDI Alliance” leaders openly say Ram Mandir is “useless”. One Congress leader said there was a discussion on how to overturn the court verdict and send Ram Lalla back to the tent, the PM said. “Will you make the poisonous politics of Congress and INDI alliance a success.”

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and the BJP’s Lok Sabha poll candidate from Sonipat Mohan Lal Badoli were also on the stage.

Politics, Regional

Kuirobhitra Darjeeling of C R Rai released at Kalimpong

May 18, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

KalimNews, Kalimpong, 18 May 2024 : “Kuirobhitra Darjeeling“ Nepali version of the book Darjeeling: The Unhealed Wound, authored by C.R.Rai and published by BukAnt was released today during a programme at Hotel Trace in Kalimpong.

The book depicts the people and circumstances responsible for creating political uncertainty in the Darjeeling Hills.

The programme hosted by Anjana Bhandari had the presence of Renulina Subba, former MLA as Chairperson of the programme and Dr. C. B. Sunuwar, Thomas Mukhia and P L Subba all former teachers as the guests.

The other dignitaries present in the programme were, Dr. Samuel Rai, Director of the Directorate of Cinchona and other Medicinal Plantation, Dr H.B.Chhetri, Former MLA and representatives and officials of different social organisations and political parties.

The programme was started with welcome address by Rudra Karki and keynote address by Dr.C.B.Sunuwar and Pravakar Dewan. C. R. Rai, the author and other dignitaries also addressed the programme.

The original English version of the book (254 pages) was published by Bluerose Publishers Pvt. Ltd. and released in July 2022.

The Nepali version has 319 pages and has an attractive and beautiful cover.

The beautiful hill district of Darjeeling has been in the throes of political uncertainty for several decades now. Mr. CR Rai, the author is a former civil servant who served in several executive posts. He resigned from the West Bengal Civil Services to form a new political party, hoping to solve the Darjeeling imbroglio and other problems with rich experience.

Rai had access to some of the prime political actors and events at the height of the Gorkhaland agitation and brought his unique perspective on the issue in this unusually interesting book. Rai led several delegations to New Delhi and also had been actively involved in various social, cultural, and literary organizations. His involvement in administration and politics gave him a unique insight into the affairs of Darjeeling as well as Sikkim, Nepal, and Bhutan.

Author Rai has come forward to address the lack of “indigenous intellectuals” who are responsible for clearly bringing into light the “facts” of Darjeeling, which is covered with a dark cloud of “illusion”.

Though this book calls for an inclusive solution to the Darjeeling conundrum based on pragmatism and non-violence, it discusses the people and circumstances responsible for creating political uncertainty. There are fascinating insights into the roles played by the local leaders and the main players as well as Dr BC Roy and Shri Vallabhai Patel in determining Darjeeling’s post-independence position. What influence did Nepal have? How did Sikkim’s annexation influence regional politics? These and other questions are discussed with great passion. Darjeeling enthusiasts will also be fascinated by the references to the many known and lesser-known figures who played a crucial role in the establishment of the original “Queen of the Hills”

National, Northeast, Politics, Regional

Naga body rejects government appeal, remains firm to boycott urban local bodies’ poll

May 18, 2024 Kalimpong News Leave a comment

Lokmat Times, Kohima, May 17, 2024 : The Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) on Friday rejected the Nagaland government’s appeal and remained firm on abstaining from participating in the Urban Local Bodies (ULB) elections, scheduled on June 26.

ENPO Secretary W. Manwang Konyak said that they did not receive any written appeal and only saw in the media that the state government has made an appeal not to boycott the ULB polls.

“We have to go by the decision of our grassroots level people and organisation. We would abstain from participating in the ULB polls,” Konyak told IANS.

After a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, the Nagaland government on Thursday urged the ENPO not to boycott the vital ULB polls.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister K.G. Kenye, who is the Spokesman of the state government said that the government has appealed to ENPO and its constituent bodies to participate in the ULB elections, which are being conducted on the directions of the Supreme Court.

The ULB election is for empowering local self-governance and facilitating development and uplift of the citizens at the grassroots, he said.

Kenye said that after a prolonged battle involving the women’s reservation in the ULBs, the state would be holding the ULB election in the larger interest of the public and their welfare.

He said that ULB elections should not be seen as a means for ENPO to register resentment and protest for their demands on Frontier Nagaland Territory.

Since 2010, the ENPO has been demanding a separate ‘Frontier Nagaland Territory’ or a separate state comprising the six eastern Nagaland districts — Kiphire, Longleng, Mon, Noklak, Shamator, and Tuensang and it also boycotted the election to the lone Nagaland Lok Sabha seat on April 19 in support of its demand.

The ENPO Secretary said that they have already informed the State Election Commission (SEC) that the people of the six districts would abstain from voting in the ULB polls, covering three Municipal Councils and 36 Town Councils.

Konyak said that the ENPO had, on March 19, adopted a unanimous resolution that the people of the region would not participate in any central and state elections due to the delay in creating the ‘Frontier Nagaland Territory (FNT)’ as offered and assured by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on December 7, 2023.

“Through many letters to MHA and mass rallies, we tried to persuade the Central government to resolve our demand but it turned a deaf ear,” the Naga leader said.

However, the ENPO has clarified that this stance should not be misconstrued as opposition to the Nagaland Municipal Act, 2023 with 33 per cent reservation for women.

Nagaland Chief Minister earlier said that the state government has proposed the constitution of an autonomous body for the development of eastern Nagaland and its people.

The ENPO has been demanding a separate ‘Frontier Nagaland Territory’ comprising six eastern districts inhabited by seven backward tribes — Chang, Khiamniungan, Konyak, Phom, Tikhir, Sangtam, and Yimkhiung.

The ENPO and its allies had given a call to boycott the Assembly elections held in February last year but withdrew it later following an assurance from Union Home Minister Amit Shah.