Tag: The Trinamool Congress (TMC)

Panic Over NRC Grips Kolkata, Several Parts of Bengal

According to reports, the situation has led to deaths of six persons.

Kolkata: Hundreds of people lined up at government and municipal offices here and across West Bengal Tuesday to collect their birth certificates and necessary documents to be prepared should the National Register of Citizens (NRC) be implemented in the state despite assurances by the TMC government that it would not be allowed.

The omission of a large number of Bengalis from the final NRC list in the BJP-ruled Assam has apparently created panic among the people and has led to six deaths in the state so far.

Large queues were seen outside the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) headquarters and other division offices in the city, as well as, BDO offices in other parts of Bengal as people waited for their turn to search for land and other necessary documents.

Ajit Ray, a 75-year-old man, who was seen standing outside the KMC headquarters said, “I have come to the KMC office to collect my birth certificate as I had lost it long back. I have heard that we need to have our birth certificates to prove that we are citizens of this country in case NRC is implemented in Bengal.”

Bimal Mondal, 55, was seen standing outside the land records department of the KMC, in search of documents that show his parents procured land in Kolkata five decades ago.

In rural Bengal, a similar picture was witnessed outside various government and panchayat offices.

Khalque Mollah, 25, of South 24 Parganas district said, “What will we do if we are declared foreigners though we were born and brought up in this country? From where will I get documents of my father being born in this country?”

Also Read: In the Idea of an ‘All India NRC’, Echoes of Reich Citizenship Law

According to government sources, six people have died so far in the districts. Two of them allegedly committed suicide after failing to procure old documents and four others died after falling ill while standing in queues with thousands of villagers at different government offices to get their documents.

More than 19 lakh people in Assam have been excluded from the recently published final NRC on August 31. According to unconfirmed estimates, around 12 lakh are expected to be Hindus.

Kolkata mayor and senior minister Firhad Hakim said, “We are requesting people not to panic at all. There will be no NRC in Bengal. The TMC government will never allow it. As long as the TMC government is in power, not a single person will be touched.”

West Bengal chief minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused the BJP of creating panic over the NRC and had iterated she will not allow the exercise in the state.

The BJP’s Bengal leadership has, however, blamed Banerjee and her party for creating a panic over the NRC in Bengal to instil fear.

TMC Organises Protest Rallies, ‘Vows’ to Oppose NRC in Bengal

Carrying posters and placards in districts like Hooghly, Birbhum and Burdwan, TMC supporters demanded the immediate repeal of the NRC in Assam.

Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress on Sunday organised rallies and street corner meetings at various places in West Bengal, as part of its ‘mass protests’ against the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the “divisive” politics of the BJP.

Carrying posters and placards in districts like Hooghly, Birbhum and Burdwan, TMC supporters shouted slogans against the BJP-led government and demanded the immediate repeal of the NRC in Assam.

“Just like yesterday, protest rallies were organised in various parts of the state today. Our party workers have vowed not to allow NRC in Bengal. Locals, too, joined in,” TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee said.

“Party cadres have vowed that they can sacrifice their lives but would never allow division of Bengal,” senior TMC leader and minister Tapan Dasgupta said.

Reacting to TMC’s protest marches, West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh had on Saturday said if the saffron party comes to power after the 2021 assembly polls, it will pitch for NRC in the state.

TMC Delegation on Way to Sonbhadra Detained at Varanasi Airport

The decision assumes significance due to the intensified political bickering and violence between the TMC and the BJP since the Lok Sabha elections in which the saffron party made significant inroads in West Bengal.

Varanasi: A Trinamool Congress (TMC) delegation was detained at the airport here on Saturday when it was going to meet families of victims of the Sonbhadra clash in which ten people were gunned down this week over a land dispute, party MP Derek O’Brien said.

The TMC team comprises O’Brien, MP and leader of the delegation Sunil Mondal and MP Abir Ranjan Biswas.

At noon, the District Magistrate finally met the MPs and informed them that the police would escort them to the”BHU Trauma Centre to meet docs attending the injured”.

The detention of the team comes a day after Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was detained and stopped in Mirzapur district from going to Sonbhadra to meet those injured in the incident and the victims’ families.

“We were stopped by police at the Varanasi airport while we were going to Sonbhadra to meet the victims…and give confidence to the grieving families. There is no violation of Section 144 as we are less in number,” he stated.

The TMC delegation had announced on Friday that a team of its MPs will visit on Saturday, the families of the Sonbhadra clash victims in UP. The party was scheduled to return by an evening flight after their visit to Sonbhadra.

The decision assumes significance due to the intensified political bickering and violence between the TMC and the BJP since the Lok Sabha elections in which the saffron party made significant inroads in West Bengal.

UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath and his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee had attacked each other during the election campaign in the eastern state.

Also read: Several TMC Members to Join BJP Soon: Mukul Roy

The BJP has emerged as the main opponent of the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal ever since the saffron party won 18 of the 42 seats in the state in this Lok Sabha polls up from two seats it had won in 2014.

Ten people were killed and 28 injured in the clash between supporters of village head Yagya Dutt and Gond tribals over a piece of land in Sonbhadra’s Ghorawal area on Wednesday. Dutt’s supporters allegedly opened fire on the tribals.

Twenty-nine people, including Dutt and his brother, were arrested. Prohibitory orders are in force in Ghorawal area in Sonbhadra district, and thorough checking of vehicles is on to monitor the movement of people.

Trinamool Congress Designates Six MPs for Speaking to Media

Besides O’Brien, the Mamata Banerjee-led party has approved the names of Sudip Bandyopadhyay (TMC Parliamentary Party Leader in the Lok Sabha), MPs Saugata Roy, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Mahua Moitra and Dinesh Trivedi as its national spokespersons.

New Delhi: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) issued a statement on Monday listing five of its Lok Sabha MPs and Derek O’Brien, the party’s Rajya Sabha member and national spokesperson, as the designated persons to speak to the media, saying news channels had been speaking to people calling them “TMC supporters or sympathisers”.

Besides O’Brien, the Mamata Banerjee-led party has approved the names of Sudip Bandyopadhyay (TMC Parliamentary Party Leader in the Lok Sabha), MPs Saugata Roy, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Mahua Moitra and Dinesh Trivedi as its national spokespersons.

The decision will come into effect from June 20.

“We have noticed that some channels are inviting guests on shows and referring to them as Trinamool supporters, Trinamool sympathisers etc. We do not subscribe to this. Only the six persons mentioned above are authorised to speak on behalf of the party to the national media.”

“If you still choose to invite any person on the show other than an approved spokesperson, please do not call them TMC supporters or use TMC, Trinamool, AITC or any other term related to the All India Trinamool Congress,” the statement said.

It comes days after the 2019 Lok Sabha election, in which the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party bagged 18 of the 42 seats in the TMC-ruled West Bengal.

Editor’s Guild Condemns Attack on Journalists in West Bengal Elections

It urged the Election Commission to take action against those participating in such acts.

New Delhi: The Editors Guild has condemned several incidents of physical attack on journalists in West Bengal during the fifth phase of polling and urged the Election Commission to take action against those who participated in such acts.

“Physical attacks against journalists are always reprehensible, but particularly so during elections as they undermine fair media scrutiny of an election,” the guild said in a statement.

Journalists from media organisations like NewsX, ABP Ananda and Zee News were attacked, allegedly by workers of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), the statement said.

The guild urged the EC to initiate “necessary action” against those involved in violence against journalist. It asked the TMC-led West Bengal government to “ensure law and order in the state so that journalists are not attacked by political parties and they can perform their professional duties safely”.

After Abduction of Labhpur BJP Leader’s Daughter, Mob Vandalises TMC MLA’s Car

Days after the daughter of BJP leader Suprabhat Batyabyal was allegedly kidnapped at gunpoint, a mob resorted to vandalism in the area as she remained untraceable.

Labhpur: Tension gripped Labhpur area in West Bengal’s Birbhum district on Saturday as a mob smashed local TMC MLA Manirul Islam’s vehicle and chased him, forcing him to take refuge in the local police station, police said.

The incident comes days after the daughter of BJP leader Suprabhat Batyabyal was allegedly kidnapped at gunpoint here. The girl’s mother lodged a complaint at Labhpur police station after the alleged kidnapping on Thursday.

Protesting against the incident and demanding immediate rescue of the girl, an angry mob resorted to vandalism in and around the area as she remained untraceable.

At around 3 pm, the mob gheraoed Islam’s vehicle at Indus village and pelted stones at it. The MLA was rushed to safety by his security guards, the police said.

“When he reached the Labhpur police station, there too a mob started pelting stones,” a police officer said.

Police resorted to mild lathicharge to disperse the mob, he added.

Later, Islam visited the girl’s house and spoke to her family. “I talked to the family members and assured that police are trying to find their daughter. We have already told police to act fast,” he told PTI.

Meanwhile, protesters continued to block the Suri-Katwa road for the third day on Saturday. BJP supporters demonstrated in front of the police station. Additional force has been deployed in the area, the police said.

One suspect was detained on Friday for questioning in connection with the alleged kidnapping, superintendent of police, Birbhum, Shyam Singh, said. Police haven’t found any political motive behind the incident so far, he said.

Batyabyal, who switched to the BJP from the TMC around five months ago, was not at home when the miscreants broke into his house in Labhpur and kidnapped his 22-year-old daughter.

Before joining the TMC, Batyabal was a district committee member of the CPI(M).

“Five miscreants barged into the house around 8 pm on Thursday night on finding out that Suprabhat was not home,” the BJP leader’s brother, Sujit Batyabyal, had said on Friday.

“First, they confined us in a room and locked it from outside. Then they dragged my niece out at gunpoint and forced her into a car, which was parked near our home, and drove off,” he said.

The BJP’s district leadership alleged that the miscreants were TMC-backed goons.

The TMC has been threatening Suprabhat since he joined our party, a BJP leader said. “The police was informed immediately but they did nothing effective,” he alleged.

TMC MLA Killing: Mukul Roy Granted Protection From Arrest Till March 7

Roy had filed a plea for anticipatory bail before the high court on Tuesday after being named in an FIR, along with three others, for the TMC MLA’s killing last week.

Kolkata: The Calcutta high court Wednesday directed the West Bengal police to not arrest BJP leader Mukul Roy till March 7 in connection with the murder case of TMC MLA Satyajit Biswas.

The court, however, refused to grant anticipatory bail “at this stage” to the BJP leader, “keeping in mind the gravity of the crime”.

A division bench comprising justices Joymalya Bagchi and M. Mandal, while granting protection to Roy from arrest till March 7, said it will hear the matter again on March 5.

The bench also asked Roy to not enter Nadia district till further orders, except for the purpose of investigation or attending court proceedings.

Also read: BJP Leader Mukul Roy Among 4 People Booked in TMC MLA’s Murder

Roy filed a plea for anticipatory bail before the high court on Tuesday after being named in an FIR, along with three others, for the TMC MLA’s killing on Saturday.

“Naming me in the FIR is absolutely a politically motivated move,” Roy had said.

Biswas was shot dead by unidentified assailants inside a Saraswati puja marquee on February 9 in Nadia district.

Two accused Kartik Mondal and Sujit Mondal were arrested a day after the killing and remanded to 14-day police custody.

Nobody Can Stop BJP From Carrying out ‘Yatras’ in West Bengal: Shah

His comments came a day after the Calcutta High Court refused the BJP permission to hold a ‘rath yatra’ in Coochbehar, following the state government expressing apprehensions of violence.

New Delhi: BJP president Amit Shah said on Friday that the party will “definitely” conduct yatras in West Bengal and “nobody can stop it” from doing so.

His comments came a day after the Calcutta high court refused the BJP permission to hold a rath yatra in Coochbehar, following the state government expressing apprehensions of violence.

“We will definitely carry out all ‘yatras’, nobody can stop us. BJP committed to change in West Bengal. The ‘yatras’ have not been cancelled, just postponed,” Shah said at a press conference.

Also Read: TMC Denies Permission For Amit Shah’s Rath Yatra in Bengal; BJP to Appeal on Friday

Mounting a scathing attack against the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government, he also alleged that the state leads in the number of political killings in the country.

“The entire West Bengal administration is working for the ruling TMC,” he added.

Seven-Year-Old Killed, Nine Injured in Explosion in Kolkata Suburbs

Trinamool Congress leader Panchu Roy claimed that he was the target of the blast.

Kolkata: A seven-year-old boy was killed and nine people, including his mother, were injured in a low-intensity explosion in front of a multi-storey building in the Nagerbazar area in Kolkata’s northern suburbs on Tuesday, police said.

“A child, who was severely injured in the blast, has died in hospital. A total of nine people are injured,” deputy commissioner of police, Barrackpore commissionerate, Ananda Roy said.

The deceased has been identified as Bibhash Ghosh. His mother Basanti Ghosh has been admitted to the SSKM Hospital.

As per initial investigation, ammonium nitrate was used in carrying out the low-intensity blast outside the building, which also houses the office of South Dum Dum Municipality chairman Panchu Roy.

“It was a socket bomb explosion. Forensic team and the bomb squad of CID are examining the spot. We have started further investigation,” a police officer said.

The explosion was reported outside a fruit shop on the ground floor of the building in the congested Kazipara area under the jurisdiction of Dum Dum Police Station around 9 am, the officer said.

“Initially, we thought it was a gas cylinder blast. But it is not so. We have found a few iron nails but there is no smell of gunpowder,” another senior police officer said.

“It was a socket bomb explosion. Forensic team and the bomb squad of CID are examining the spot. We have started further investigation,” a police officer told Indian Express.

Trinamool Congress leader Roy claimed that he was the target of the blast.

Roy, stopping short of naming any political party, said the forces, which are currently attacking the ruling TMC all over Bengal, are behind the attack.

“It was a pre-planned blast. They had planned to kill me and other TMC workers, as it would create panic and help them gain foothold in the area,” he told PTI.

Asked whether the explosion was a result of infighting within the TMC, Roy said there was no such issue in south Bengal.

(With PTI inputs)

Mamata Cancels China Visit Due to Non-Confirmation of Political Meetings

She was scheduled to lead a delegation to China under the exchange programme of the government of India with the international department of the Communist Party of China.

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee cancelled her China visit today as “political meetings at the appropriate level” were not confirmed by the Chinese government, state finance minister Amit Mitra said.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief was slated to leave for China tonight.

She was scheduled to lead a delegation to China under the exchange programme of the government of India with the international department of the Communist Party of China.

Mitra said external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, who is presently out of the country, and foreign secretary V.K. Gokhale were informed about the cancellation of Banerjee’s visit to China.

In a Facebook post, the chief minister said, “In March this year, the Union Minister of External Affairs had recommended to me to kindly consider leading a delegation to China in the coming months under the Exchange Programme of the Government of India with the International Department of the Communist Party of China.”

Stating that she had agreed to the proposal, Banerjee said, “I mentioned to her that since the interest of my country is involved, I wish to visit China sometime during last week of June 2018.”

She added that following letters from the state chief secretary and the ambassador of India in China, a programme was chalked out and the visit was planned.

Till yesterday, everything was “going well”, the chief minister said, adding that unfortunately, “the political meetings at the appropriate level” could not be confirmed.

“It has now been intimated by our ambassador in China that the political meetings at the appropriate level under the Exchange Programme could not be confirmed. Therefore, the purpose of my visit with a delegation to China under the Exchange Programme is of no use,” she said.

Banerjee said although the Indian ambassador in China tried his best to make her visit a success, the non-confirmation of the political meetings “at the last moment”, had “unfortunately compelled us to cancel the visit”.

“However, I wish the continuation of the friendship of India and China in the days to come and it should strengthen further in the interest of both the countries,” she added.

(PTI)