Rahul Gandhi files nomination from Rae Bareli; BJP takes a dig at his 'escape' from Amethi
Rahul Gandhi files nomination from Rae Bareli; BJP takes a dig at his 'escape' from Amethi Congress leader Rahul Gandhi filed his papers from Uttar Pradesh's Rae Bareli constituency on Friday, barely an hour before nominations closed for the Lok Sabha seat. Earlier, in the morning, the Congress ended the suspense over Amethi and Rae Bareli constituencies, announcing his candidature from the seat held by his mother Sonia Gandhi for the last two decades. She recently moved to the Rajya Sabha. Gandhi had lost from the adjoining Amethi constituency to BJPs Smriti Irani in 2019, but won from ''safe'' Wayanad in Kerala a seat he is contesting this time as well. On X, the former Congress president posted that filing his nomination papers from Rae Bareli was an emotional moment for him. Amethi and Rae Bareli are no different for me, both are family, he wrote in Hindi, seeking their love and blessings in what he called a fight against injustice. The BJP, however, mocked him for running away from Amethi. ''Bhag Rahul bhag (run Rahul, run),'' one leader said. In a rally in West Bengal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had predicted that the prince would look for another seat after polling in Wayanad is over as he feared being defeated there. Now, he had to run away from Amethi and choose the Rae Bareli seat, Modi said. Gandhi was accompanied by party leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as he handed over his papers to district election officer Harshita Mathur around 2 pm on the last day for filing nominations. Gandhis brother-in-law Robert Vadra too was with him. Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot accompanied the family. Also on Friday, Kishori Lal Sharma, a close aide of the Gandhi family, filed his papers from the Amethi Lok Sabha constituency. Priyanka Gandhi took part in roadshow there to support him. Polling in both parliamentary constituencies is on May 20. The party leaders arrived at the Fursatganj airport in Amethi, and then headed for Rae Bareli. A large number of Congress workers, and those from INDIA bloc partner Samajwadi Party, turned up at the district collectorate to cheer Gandhi. The SP workers, carrying flags and banners, included the partys district chief Virendra Yadav. After filing his nomination, Gandhi and other family members went to the district Congress office where family priest Radhe Shyam Dixit performed a puja. Rae Bareli Congress spokesperson Vinay Dwivedi said people in the party and local residents were demanding that only the Gandhi family should contest from the constituency, and the top leadership has lived up to their trust. Earlier Friday, BJP candidate Dinesh Pratap Singh also filed his papers from Rae Bareli. He had lost to Sonia Gandhi in 2019. Singh had switched sides from the Congress in 2018, after being sent to the state legislative council twice by that party. Bahujan Samaj Partys Thakur Prasad Yadav filed his nomination from Rae Bareli on Thursday. ''Bhag Rahul bhag, Rahul bhag, Rahul bhag (run Rahul, run) -- this is what will go on now,'' BJP general secretary Dushyant Kumar Gautam told reporters in Delhi. Union minister and Amethi MP Smriti Irani, who is contesting again from that traditionally Congress constituency, too took a dig. ''The Gandhi family not being present in the election fray in Amethi indicates that the Congress has accepted its defeat in Amethi even before the polling on the seat,'' she told reporters. Gandhi is now contesting from a seat that has been held by his mother Sonia Gandhi, his grandmother Indira Gandhi and his grandfather Feroze Gandhi in the past. Feroze Gandhi won from Rae Bareli in the first two elections after Independence. His wife Indira Gandhi won in 1967, 1971 and 1980, followed by friends and family members of the Gandhis. Arun Nehru won the 1980 bypoll and subsequently in 1984. Indira Gandhis aunt Sheila Kaul represented the seat in 1989 and 1991. The only time the Congress did not represent Rae Bareli was in the wake of the Emergency in 1977 when Janata Party's Raj Narain defeated Indira Gandhi, who was then the prime minister. And the BJP's Ashoke Singh won in 1996 and 1998. Sonia Gandhi won from Rae Bareli four times between 2004 and 2019, though her winning margins had begun dwindling now. The party appeared to have concluded that Rae Bareli was the safer seat for Rahul Gandhi, who lost Amethi to Irani last time by nearly 50,000 votes. When Sonia Gandhi decided to leave Rae Bareli and switch to the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan, she addressed an emotional message to people of the constituency. ''After this decision, I will not have the opportunity to serve you directly but my heart and soul will always remain with you. I know that you will stand by me and my family in future, just as you have in the past,'' she said in the February 15 message.
Adhir's 'Vote for BJP' Video Allegedly Manipulated, Says Police
Adhir's 'Vote for BJP' Video Allegedly Manipulated, Says Police West Bengal Police on Friday said a video clip purportedly showing Congress' West Bengal president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury urging people to ''vote for the BJP'' was manipulated. In this connection, a separate case has been lodged at Jangipur police station which includes relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) such as 499/500 (criminal defamation) and Section 66D of the Information Technology (IT) Act 2000, a police officer said. ''''Our cyber team found that a portion of the video was cropped and circulated. This was probably done to gain some political advantage during the elections. We have lodged a separate complaint with Jangipur police station,'' the officer added. Police are looking to trace the source of the video by locating its IP address, he added. The Congress condemned the incident, thanking the CEO's office and the Election Commission for promptly addressing the complaint and initiating a thorough investigation. ''We especially thank the Election Commission for understanding the magnitude of this case and thus taking immediate action. We have complete faith in the Constitution of India and we know that we will get the desired justice as we always follow the path of truth,'' the party posted on X handle. On Monday, the Congress had filed a complaint with the EC after a video clip purportedly showing Chowdhury seeking votes for the BJP during a public meeting in Baharampur had gone viral.
State govts announce new school timings, holidays amid heatwave: Check complete list
State governments adjust school timings to protect kids from intense heatwave. IMD red alert for Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha. Met 'Orange' alert for Telangana, Karnataka. Heatwave persists in May. Chhattisgarh summer vacation. Jharkhand school closure. Maharashtra early break.
Kunal Ghosh has caused more damage than opposition: Partha Chatterjee on Ghosh's school jobs scam remark Former West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee on Friday launched a scathing attack on TMC leader Kunal Ghosh, saying that the latter has caused more damage than the opposition and should have been expelled from the party much earlier. Kunal Ghosh should have been expelled from the party long ago. He has caused much more damage than the opposition. After coming to jail, I came to know about the heinous activities done by Kunal, he said. Partha Chatterjee's comment comes after Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh on Thursday said that the TMC was aware of the school recruitment scam, adding that that is the main reason why the TMC party removed Partha Chatterjee from the Education Department in 2021. One month ago, I had asked the party to release me from my duties. I was also on the star campaigners' list, but now I am not. The party has given a chance to new faces, this is a good thing... The party had information for a long time that something was wrong in the job recruitment case. This is why Partha Chatterjee was removed from the Education Department in 2021. If the party had seriously intervened in the matter, job seekers wouldn't have to face any trouble. We could have stopped the system from going uneasy, Ghosh told ANI. In 2022, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested the West Bengal Education Minister and TMC leader Partha Chatterjee in connection with the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) teacher recruitment scam. Chatterjee is currently lodged at the Presidency Correctional Home. After being spotted at a blood donation camp alongside the BJP's Kolkata Uttar candidate Tapas Roy, where he sang his praises, Kunal was promptly removed as the TMC general secretary. An official communication to this effect was issued by the Mamata Banerjee-led party on Thursday. In the official communication following his removal as general secretary, the TMC said the views he expressed at the public event did align with the party's position and shouldn't be attributed to it. (ANI)
WBBME Madrasah Board Result 2024 Declared: HM, Alim, Fazil Results Available at wbbme.org
The West Bengal Board of Madrasah Education (WBBME) has announced the WB Madrasah Board Madhyamik Result 2024 today, May 3, at 2:00 PM. Students who appeared for the High Madrasah (HM), Alim, and Fazil exams can now access their scores online through the official websites wbbme.org and wbresults.nic.in using their roll numbers starting from 2:30 PM onwards.
Have asked BJP to form separate legal cell to provide help to genuine teachers in SSC scam: PM Modi
KOLKATA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked the West Bengal BJP unit to create a separate legal cell to provide help to genuine teachers and candidates who have lost jobs due to the School Service Commission (SSC) scam. While addressing an election rally at Burdwan-Durgapur, PM Modi said that although he wants those involved in corruption by the TMC to be punished, he does not want the innocent to suffer. The corruption that the TMC has done in Bengal regarding the school recruitment is shameful. Due to this scam, several genuine candidates have suffered. I have asked the Bengal BJP unit on behalf of the party to create a separate legal cell and social media platform to provide help to the genuine candidates and teachers, he said. Modis remark drew sharp criticism from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who said that after taking jobs from people, he is now trying to portray himself as a saviour. As elections are going on, just to garner support from the people, Modi is saying that he will help the genuine SSC candidates. Where was he when the Calcutta High Court gave the order? We have said we will help all the candidates and will see in due course of time whether or not the appointments madewere legal or illegal, added Banerjee. BJP will support such honest candidates and will provide them legal help and will fight for them. This is Modis guarantee, stressed the PM. Calcutta HC cancels 2016 SSC teachers' recruitment panel; almost 24,000 jobs affected Modis remarks came a week after the Supreme Court declared that whether it is possible to separate between legal and illegal appointments. Soon after this remark, SSC chairman held a press conference and said, They will see whether they can separate between legal and illegal appointments of SSC. Calcutta High Court declared the recruitment process of the State Level Selection Test-2016 (SLST) in West Bengal government-sponsored and aided schools as null and void, ordering the cancellation of all appointments made through it. Around 26,000 people have lost jobs following the court order. On 22 April, theCalcutta High Courtdeclared the entire panel of the 2016 SSC recruitment null and void due to identified irregularities in appointments across various educational sectors in the state. Justices Debangsu Basak and Md Shabbar Rashidi, comprising the division bench, unequivocally invalidated all appointments made through the 2016 state-level test conducted by the West Bengal SSC. The court mandated the administration to initiate fresh appointments within a 15-day timeframe. This resulted in the immediate job loss of teachers and non-teaching staff. The courts decree extends further, necessitating individuals appointed under the invalidated process to refund their salaries within a stipulated six-week period. HC order on Bengal school jobs 'illegal', will challenge: Mamata What is the 2016 SSC scam in Bengal The purportedWest Bengal School Service Commissionstems from the inception of the teacher hiring procedure in state owned schools through the State Level Selection Test (SLST) in 2014 with the recruitment officially starting in 2016. In 2016, the West Bengal government released a notification for the employment of 13,000 Group-D staff in state operated schools. Multiple petitions were lodged in the high court asserting discrepancies in the scandal. Allegations surfaced that numerous candidates with lower scores were ranked higher on the merit roster, prompting doubts about the integrity of the selection process. Furthermore, accusations emerged suggesting that individuals not listed on the merit roster received appointment letters. The recruitment exam was conducted to fill vacancies for the posts of assistant teachers for Classes 9-10, assistant teachers for Classes 11-12, Group C (clerks) and Group D posts. On 24 April, the West Bengal government under Mamata Banerjees leadership took the step to approach the Supreme Court, contesting the decision of the Calcutta High Court. This ruling revoked nearly 24,000 appointments of both teaching and non-teaching personnel, which were conducted through the 2016 SSC recruitment process. Reacting to the HCs verdict, Banerjee said, The court verdict cancelling all recruitments is illegal. We stand by those who lost jobs. We will ensure you get justice, and challenge the order in a higher court. However, quick relief to those affected is unlikely soon.
Congress plans to handover property to those involved in 'vote jihad': PM Modi in Jharkhand
Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Congress of planning to distribute property to those involved in vote jihad while emphasizing his commitment to protecting the rights of the poor, Dalits, and tribals. He asserted that no force would be allowed to alter the Constitution. Modi criticized the JMM-led coalition in Jharkhand for allegedly patronizing infiltration and engaging in vote bank politics similar to West Bengal.
Congress plans to handover property to those involved in 'vote jihad': PM Modi claims in Jharkhand
The PM said the JMM-led coalition was patronising infiltration in Santhal Parganas and indulged in vote bank politics akin to neighbouring West Bengal
PM Modi Vows Justice for Victims of the West Bengal Teacher Recruitment Scam
Kolkata: During a public rally in Bolpur, West Bengal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the West Bengal teachers' recruitment scam and criticized the Trinamool Congress (TMC), vowing to hold accountable those who jeopardized the future of the state's youth. He assured the people that justice would be served, stating, I will not spare those who have looted the people of Bengal; this is Modi's guarantee. Referring to the scam, PM Modi emphasized the need to punish those responsible for causing distress among the youth. He stated that over 25,000 teachers had been dismissed by the court due to the recruitment scam orchestrated by the TMC. The Prime Minister assured the youth of Bengal that those who had caused them distress would be punished and urged the BJP Bengal to establish a legal cell and a social media platform to assist the victims of the scam. PM Modi also accused the TMC and Congress of being solely concerned about their vote bank, rather than the welfare of the people. He criticized them for spreading rumors about the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which, according to him, was meant to aid people who were left stranded after partition. Furthermore, PM Modi labeled the TMC government as undemocratic for controlling all institutions in the state. He highlighted the political violence in West Bengal and accused the TMC of harboring non-state actors who committed atrocities against the people. He expressed concern over the state of democracy in Bengal, stating, TMC is digging the grave of democracy! PM Modi also criticized the INDIA bloc, accusing them of corruption and scams during their governance. He highlighted various scams, including the 2G scam, submarine and helicopter scams, and Commonwealth scam, alleging that the TMC was following a similar path. He emphasized the need for change and questioned the ability of the INDI alliance to think about the future. During the rally, PM Modi expressed gratitude to a young girl who presented him with a sketch. He asked his volunteers to obtain the sketch from her and requested her address so that he could write her a letter of thanks. The West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) teacher recruitment scam came to light following the arrest of Bengal BJP leader Partha Chatterjee, who served as the education minister in Mamata Banerjee's cabinet until his arrest on July 23, 2022. The polling for the remaining parliamentary seats in West Bengal will be held on May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1, with the results announced on June 4. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the TMC won 34 seats in the state, while the BJP secured only 2 seats. However, the BJP improved its performance in the 2019 polls, winning 18 seats against the TMC's 22. New Rape and Kidnapping Cases Filed Against JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna and HD Revanna in Sex Tapes Scandal Tragic Accident: Student Run Over by Train While Filming Instagram Reel Election Commission Acts on BJP's Complaint, Orders Transfer of Senior Odisha Bureaucrat
West Bengal Police Neutralises 22 Crude Bombs During Lok Sabha Elections
Kolkata: D uring the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections, West Bengal Police reported the neutralization of 22 crude bombs in the Sitalkuchi area of Cooch Behar on Thursday. Last month, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) discovered a significant cache of arms and ammunition, including foreign-made pistols and revolvers, during searches in Sandeshkhali. The recovery was part of searches conducted by CBI teams investigating a case related to violence against officials of the Directorate of Enforcement (ED). The recovered items included three foreign-made revolvers, one Indian revolver, one Colt official police revolver, one foreign-made pistol, one country-made pistol, 120 9mm bullets, 50 .45 caliber cartridges, 120 9mm caliber cartridges, 50 .380 cartridges, and eight .32 cartridges, according to the agency. In addition to the weapons, incriminating documents related to Sheikh Shahjahan were also seized. The teams from the National Security Guard (NSG) are handling and disposing of some items suspected to be country-made bombs. West Bengal, which contributes 42 MPs to Parliament, is voting in all seven phases. Phases one and two were held on April 19 and April 26, respectively. The remaining phases of polling are scheduled for May 4, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1. Vote counting will take place on June 4. PM Modi Vows Justice for Victims of the West Bengal Teacher Recruitment Scam New Rape and Kidnapping Cases Filed Against JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna and HD Revanna in Sex Tapes Scandal Tragic Accident: Student Run Over by Train While Filming Instagram Reel
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Mega Campaigning in Ayodhya: All You Need to Know
Ayodhya: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, on May 5 (Sunday) as part of his campaign for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, party sources revealed on Friday.During his visit, PM Modi is expected to offer prayers at Ayodhya's Ram Temple and conduct a roadshow in support of BJP candidate Lallu Singh in the Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency. According to party sources, PM Modi will arrive in Etawah around 3 p.m. on May 5, and then proceed to the Dhaurahra Lok Sabha constituency at approximately 5 p.m. The Prime Minister is scheduled to visit the Ram Temple in Ayodhya at around 7 p.m.During his visit, PM Modi will lead a nearly 2-kilometer-long roadshow in Ayodhya, added the sources.Ayodhya is scheduled to vote in the fifth phase on May 20. The Lok Sabha elections are being conducted in seven phases until June 1, with the counting of votes set for June 4. The holy city is preparing to give a grand reception to the Prime Minister. This will be PM Modi's second roadshow in Ayodhya in the last five months.Earlier, PM Modi held a grand roadshow during the inauguration of the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport on December 30, 2023.Polling in Uttar Pradesh, with the most number of seats in the Lok Sabha, is being held in all seven phases of the parliamentary elections. Uttar Pradesh has 80 seats, and voting in 16 seats has already been completed in the first two phases. In the 2019 general elections, the BJP emerged triumphant, securing 62 out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh, supplemented by two seats clinched by its ally Apna Dal (S). Mayawati's BSP managed to secure 10 seats, while Akhilesh Yadav's SP garnered five. Conversely, the Congress party secured only one seat. Triple Talaq Incident on Moving Train Shocks Jhansi Passengers: Man Flees After Divorcing Wife West Bengal Police Neutralises 22 Crude Bombs During Lok Sabha Elections PM Modi Vows Justice for Victims of the West Bengal Teacher Recruitment Scam
BJP's Post-Election Strategy: Focus Shifts to West Bengal
Agartala: Th e elections in Tripura have concluded, and the ruling BJP is optimistic about winning both seats. The recent alliance with 'Tripra Motha', led by royal scion Pradyot Manikya Deb Barman, has strengthened BJP's prospects, particularly in the Tripura East constituency, where another royal scion, Kriti Singh, is the BJP candidate. Now, the focus shifts to West Bengal, where the BJP aims to replicate its success in Tripura. With cultural and linguistic similarities between Tripura and West Bengal, the BJP sees an opportunity to present its governance and development model as a blueprint for West Bengal. The party is confident that the leaders from Tripura can have a significant impact on the remaining phases of elections in West Bengal. In contrast, the Trinamool Congress (TMC), which contested in the Tripura assembly elections in 2023, faced rejection by the people of the northeastern state. Around 30 leaders, including Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha, are gearing up to lead the BJP's campaign in West Bengal for the Lok Sabha elections. Joining them are other MLAs and ministers from Tripura, all set to rally support for the BJP in the neighboring state. BJP state president Rajib Bhattacharya highlighted the historic voter turnout witnessed in Tripura during the recent Lok Sabha elections, setting a significant precedent nationwide. Expressing confidence in a resounding victory for the BJP in Tripura, Bhattacharya outlined the partys strategic deployment of 30 Vistaraks, comprising state leaders, ministers, and MLAs, to West Bengal. He affirmed their collective mission to reinforce the partys presence and secure victory in the region. Bhattacharya emphasized the similarities between the prolonged rule of the CPIM in West Bengal and the current Trinamool Congress administration, noting a prevailing sense of fear among the populace. He lamented the decline of the industrial sector and the hindrance of centrally sponsored schemes under the current regime, citing distress among the people. Conversely, he praised Prime Minister Modis proactive efforts in implementing welfare schemes, which the BJP aims to showcase in West Bengal. We will shed light on PM Modis unwavering commitment to the peoples welfare through various schemes, Bhattacharya affirmed, echoing the partys optimism for victory in West Bengal. He identified violence as a primary concern in the state, signaling the BJPs intent to address and mitigate such issues. As the BJP mobilizes its leadership from Tripura to bolster its campaign efforts in West Bengal, all eyes are set on the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, poised to shape the political landscape of the region. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Mega Campaigning in Ayodhya: All You Need to Know Triple Talaq Incident on Moving Train Shocks Jhansi Passengers: Man Flees After Divorcing Wife PM Modi Vows Justice for Victims of the West Bengal Teacher Recruitment Scam
Modi Government's Stance on SC/ST Reservations Praised by Dalit Leader
Kochi: Advocate K A Balan, a prominent Dalit leader and Union Government Counsel at the Kerala High Court, praised the Modi Government's role in protecting the interests of Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST). He referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's stance, which he believes accurately addresses the issue. Balan highlighted the Modi Government's opposition to the Congress Party's policy of appeasing minorities, particularly in extending SC/ST reservations to individuals who converted to Christianity and Islam. He pointed out that successive governments, from Jawaharlal Nehru to Rajiv Gandhi, resisted extending SC/ST reservations to converted Christians and Muslims. However, during Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao's tenure, a bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha to address this issue. Unfortunately, it was not presented due to technical reasons. Despite this, the issue persisted until the Modi Government came into power in 2014. The Modi Government rejected the recommendations of the Justice Ranganath Mishra Commission, which suggested extending reservations to individuals from minority religions. Instead, it established a new three-member judicial commission led by Justice K G Balakrishnan to reevaluate the matter. Balan highlighted ongoing legal proceedings, with various religious organizations moving the Supreme Court to implement the Ranganath Mishra Commission report. Expressing his concern, Balan warned that if the Modi Government did not return to power in 2024, SC/ST reservations might be extended to Christians and Muslims. He called on SC/ST communities to support the BJP and NDA to prevent this outcome. He also emphasized the need for Hindu unity, transcending political affiliations, to safeguard the future of SC/ST reservations. BJP's Post-Election Strategy: Focus Shifts to West Bengal Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Mega Campaigning in Ayodhya: All You Need to Know Triple Talaq Incident on Moving Train Shocks Jhansi Passengers: Man Flees After Divorcing Wife
Rahul Gandhi files nomination from Rae Bareli; BJP accuses him of 'abandoning' Amethi
Rahul Gandhi files nomination from Rae Bareli; BJP accuses him of 'abandoning' Amethi Congress leader Rahul Gandhi filed his papers from Uttar Pradesh's Rae Bareli constituency on Friday, barely an hour before nominations closed for the Lok Sabha seat. Earlier, in the morning, the Congress ended the suspense over Amethi and Rae Bareli, announcing his candidature from the seat held by his mother Sonia Gandhi for the last two decades. She recently moved to the Rajya Sabha. Gandhi had lost from the adjoining Amethi constituency to BJPs Smriti Irani in 2019, but won from Wayanad in Kerala a seat he is contesting this time as well. The former Congress president was accompanied by party leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as he handed over his papers to district election officer Harshita Mathur around 2 pm on the last day for filing nominations. Gandhis brother-in-law Robert Vadra too was with him. Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot accompanied the family. Also on Friday, Kishori Lal Sharma, a close aide of the Gandhi family, filed his papers from the Amethi Lok Sabha constituency. Polling in both parliamentary constituencies is on May 20. The party leaders arrived at the Fursatganj airport in Amethi, and then headed for Rae Bareli. A large number of Congress workers, and those from INDIA bloc partner Samajwadi Party, turned up at the district collectorate to cheer Gandhi. The SP workers, carrying flags and banners, included the partys district chief Virendra Yadav. After filing his nomination, Rahul Gandhi and other family members went to the district Congress office where family priest Radhe Shyam Dixit performed a puja. Rae Bareli Congress spokesperson Vinay Dwivedi said people in the party and local residents were demanding that only the Gandhi family should contest from the constituency, and the top leadership has lived up to their trust. The BJP mocked the Congress decision to field Gandhi from Rae Bareli rather than Amethi. ''Bhag Rahul bhag, Rahul bhag, Rahul bhag (run Rahul, run) -- this is what will go on now,'' BJP general secretary Dushyant Kumar Gautam told reporters in Delhi. At a rally in West Bengal Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the Congress shehzada (prince) who went to Wayanad after losing Amethi is contesting from Rae Bareli. Union minister and Amethi MP Smriti Irani had earlleir filed her nomination papers from that constituency. ''The Gandhi family not being present in the election fray in Amethi indicates that the Congress has accepted its defeat in Amethi even before the polling on the seat,'' she told reporters. Earlier Friday, BJP candidate Dinesh Pratap Singh also filed his papers from Rae Bareli. He had lost to Sonia Gandhi in 2019. Singh had switched sides from the Congress in 2018, after being sent to the state legislative council twice by that party. Bahujan Samaj Partys Thakur Prasad Yadav filed his nomination from Rae Bareli on Thursday. Rahul Gandhi is now contesting from a seat that has been held by his mother Sonia Gandhi, his grandmother Indira Gandhi and his grandfather Feroze Gandhi in the past. Feroze Gandhi held the seat in the first two elections after Independence. His wife Indira Gandhi won in 1967, 1971 and 1980, followed by friends and family members of the Gandhis. Arun Nehru won the 1980 bypoll and subsequently in 1984. Sheila Kaul, Indira Gandhis aunt, represented the seat in 1989 and 1991. The only time the Congress did not represent Rae Bareli was in the wake of the Emergency in 1977 when Janata Party's Raj Narain defeated Indira Gandhi, who was then the prime minister. And the BJP's Ashoke Singh won in 1996 and 1998. Sonia Gandhi won from Rae Bareli four times between 2004 and 2019, although of late, her winning margins have dwindled. The party appeared to have concluded that Rae Bareli is the safer seat for the former Congress president, who lost Amethi to Irani last time by nearly 50,000 votes. When Sonia Gandhi decided to leave Rae Bareli and switch to the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan, she addressed an emotional message to people of the constituency. ''After this decision, I will not have the opportunity to serve you directly but my heart and soul will always remain with you. I know that you will stand by me and my family in future, just as you have in the past,'' she said in the February 15 message.
TMC turned Hindus into second-class citizens in Bengal: PM Modi
Bardhaman/ Tehatta/ Ahamadpur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, May 3, flayed the TMC in West Bengal, alleging that it turned Hindus into second-class citizens in the state, where the party indulges in corruption and politics of appeasement and is digging the grave of democracy. Addressing consecutive election rallies at Bardhaman-Durgapur, Krishnanagar, and Birbhum, Modi Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
Mamata Banerjee Accuses Governor of Improper Conduct
Mamata Banerjee Accuses Governor of Improper Conduct West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee on Friday strongly criticised Governor C V Ananda Bose for his alleged misconduct towards a woman employee of Raj Bhavan, which came to light yesterday evening. Addressing an election rally in Purba Bardhaman, Banerjee expressed astonishment at the governor's behaviour towards the woman who had gone to Raj Bhavan looking for a job. ''Yesterday, a young woman who worked at Raj Bhavan came out and spoke against the governor's harassment...the tears of the woman broke my heart. I have seen her video testimony, she said. Banerjee questioned why Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited Raj Bhavan last night, remained silent on the issue. ''The woman cried and walked out saying she was too scared to work at Raj Bhavan anymore. She said that she was called at odd hours and was subjected to harassment. And these are the people who talk about the dignity of our mothers and sisters?'' Banerjee said. Bose on Thursday had said he will not be cowed down by ''engineered narratives'' and the ''truth shall triumph'', hours after TMC leaders claimed that the woman had lodged a police complaint against the governor for molestation. Banerjee also criticised the Election Commission for transferring around 1,500 police officers from West Bengal to other states for election duties, without reciprocal assistance from other states. ''No police personnel from other states have come to West Bengal, the EC had sent only central forces. But strangely, no one from state police sent elsewhere were allowed to cast postal ballots. The poll panel is not allowing this'', she said, adding, ''We will not sit tight. We will take it to its logical conclusion and fight to the end''. Asserting that democracy is under threat in the country, Banerjee accused the BJP of manipulating EVMs and spreading falsehoods during campaigning. Banerjee criticised the BJP for its policies, including the NRC, CAA, and Uniform Civil Code, which she argued undermine people's rights. She also accused the BJP of hypocrisy, alleging that it failed to reinstate jobs lost under CPI(M) rule in Tripura, despite promising to do so before coming to power. ''The BJP snatched away jobs of school teachers in West Bengal. The party is now saying they will help those who lost their jobs. It had said the same thing before coming to power in Tripura when 10,000 jobs were taken away during CPI(M) rule in the state. Have those jobs been reinstated by the BJP after coming to power there'', she asked. Banerjee said in West Bengal, the CPI(M), Congress, and BJP are fighting together. ''Prime Minister Narendra Modi showed his indiscretion by questioning Rahul Gandhi's decision to contest from Rae Bareli while speaking at a public rally. Rahul Gandhi's choice seems justified. How does it matter to Modi. At some point, he (Modi) contested from multiple seats. Even BJP leaders have done the same,'' she said.
INCOIS seeks halt in beach activities on May 4 and 5, issues alert to coastal States on rough seas
The alert was issued to Goa, Maharastra West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Lakshwadeep and Andaman & Nicobar Islands
PM Modi's impromptu roadshow in West Bengal's Krishnanagar: Glimpses
West Bengal Governor Dr CV Ananda Bose said on Friday that more such allegations are in the offing after a contractual employee of the Raj Bhavan accused him of molesting her.
Most Fun Clip Of Campaign: Mamata Banerjee Dances With Mahua Moitra
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool Congressleader Mahua Moitra danced together during an election rally in the Nadia district.
PM Modi Launches Scathing Attack On TMC, I.N.D.I.A. Bloc In West Bengal
West Bengal teacher recruitment scam case: School job losers seek justice, clash with police
The protesting job losers also tried to break down the barricades set up by the police. The Calcutta High Court recently cancelled the recruitment process of the State Level Selection Test 2016 in government-sponsored and -aided schools rendering around 26,000 people jobless.
Yesterday, a young woman who worked at Raj Bhavan came out and spoke against the Governor's harassment...Yesterday, the tears of the woman broke my heart. I have seen her video testimony. Before talking about Sandeshkhali, BJP must answer why the Governor did this to a woman working at Raj Bhavan, Banerjee said.
Bengal Guv Bose accused of molesting women, TMC demands probe
Kolkata: A day after a contractual employee of the Raj Bhavan accused him of molesting her, West Bengal Governor Dr CV Ananda Bose on Friday said that he expects more such allegations in the offing. Describing the allegations as absurd drama, Bose, in an apparent reference to the ruling Trinamool Congress, said that none would Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
Mamata lashes out at Bengal governor for 'misconduct' with woman employee
KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Friday lashed out at Governor C V Ananda Bose for his alleged misconduct with a woman employee of Raj Bhavan. Speaking at a public rally in Purba Bardhaman district, Banerjee said my heart bleeds for the woman molested at Raj Bhavan and termed it a shame. Yesterday, a young woman who worked at Raj Bhavan came out and spoke against the Governor's harassment. Yesterday, the tears of the woman broke my heart. I have seen her video testimony. Before talking about Sandeshkhali, BJP must answer why the Governor did this to a woman working at Raj Bhavan, she said. Woman accuses West Bengal Governor Ananda Bose of sexual harassment Banerjee also wondered why Prime Minister Narendra Modi who came to Raj Bhawan last night didn't speak a word on the issue. The woman cried and walked out saying she was too scared to work at Raj Bhavan anymore. She said that she was called at odd hours and was subjected to harassment. And these are the people who talk about the dignity of our mothers and sisters? she said. The TMC supremo alleged that the BJP was responsible for so many people losing their jobs in the School Service Commission case. West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Thursday said he will not be cowed down by engineered narratives and the ruth shall triumph after TMC leaders claimed that a woman working at Raj Bhavan levelled allegations of molestation against him.
Swell Surge Warning to Kerala, South Tamil Nadu, Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Hyderabad: Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) on Friday that there was a possibility of swell surges and rough sea conditions associated with the effect of high period swell waves that are approaching from distant southern Indian Ocean. Swell surges started at approximately 10,000 km away from Indian coast on April 26, 2024 in the southern Atlantic Ocean (15E and 60S) and slowly moved towards southern Indian Ocean (~35-55E; 60-50S) around April 28 2024. This caused the high energy swell propagation (~24 s) towards the Indian coastal regions which is expected to hit southern tip of India in the early hours 2.30 a.m. of May 4, 2024. These long period swells combined with high tide conditions can cause coastal flooding in the low-lying areas of Lakshadweep, Kerala, South Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Odisha and West Bengal coasts during May 4 and 5, 2024. The low-lying coastal areas are particularly vulnerable. The INCOIS is presently monitoring the situation and the updates will appear on its website. The public is advised to check INCOIS website at www.incois.gov.in/portal/osf/osf.jsp for further information and updates on the event. Fishermen and coastal population are alerted to be cautious on possible surging of waves (gushing of sea water) intermittently in the nearshore or beach region, particularly in the low-lying areas. Small vessels not to ply nearshore. Boats may be anchored at a fair distance from each other, to avoid collision and damage. Total suspension of operational/recreational activities at beach/nearshore regions during 4-5, May 2024 INCOIS is continuously engaged in providing ocean information, warnings, advisories, and ocean state forecasts to various stake holders. INCOIS, as part of Ocean State Forecast (OSF) Services, forecasts wave height, direction and period (of both wind waves and swell waves), Sea surface currents, Sea Surface Temperature, etc. INCOIS also provides forecasts on the state of the ocean during extreme weather conditions like cyclones, high wave/swell conditions, etc. based on multi-model operational forecasting system built upon numerical ocean models assimilated with real time data from buoys deployed in the coastal waters as well as in the open ocean, even deep south in the southern Indian Ocean.
West Bengal Madrasah result 2024 OUT at wbbme.org: Direct links to check scores for Alim, Fazil
The West Bengal Board of Madrasah Education (WBBME) announced the West Bengal Madrasah Result 2024 for Alim and Fazil grades on May 3, 2024, at 2:30 PM. Students can access their result marksheets and scorecards on wbbme.org, wbresults.nic.in, and results.wbbme.org. Follow these steps to check the result: Visit wbresults.nic.in or wbbme.org, click on 'WBBME Result 2024,' enter required details, review the result, and download it for future reference. Students can also access their results via SMS and designated app.
Here's What 2024 Lok Sabha Elections Schedule: Seven Phases from April 19 to June 1
The 2024 Lok Sabha elections are set to unfold in seven phases, spanning from April 19 to June 1, with results expected on June 4. The Election Commission has revealed the schedule, highlighting that April 19 will witness the highest number of constituencies, totaling 102, while the fifth phase, on May 20, will see the lowest number at just 49. Here's a breakdown of the election phases across different states: Single Poll Date (22 states): Arunachal Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Ladakh, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Puducherry, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman & Diu. Two-phase Voting (4 states): Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tripura, Manipur Three-phase Voting (2 states): Chhattisgarh, Assam Four-phase Voting (3 states): Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand Five-phase Voting (2 states): Maharashtra, Jammu & Kashmir Seven-phase Voting (3 states): Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal The Lok Sabha Election 2024 schedule is as follows: Phase 1 (April 19): 101 Seats Phase 2 (April 26): 89 Seats Phase 3 (May 7): 94 Seats Phase 4 (May 13): 96 Seats Phase 5 (May 20): 49 Seats Phase 6 (May 25): 57 Seats Phase 7 (June 1): 57 Seats Each phase covers various states and Union Territories, ensuring a comprehensive electoral process across the nation. In the first phase on April 19, a total of 102 seats will be contested across several states and Union Territories: Arunachal Pradesh: Arunachal West, Arunachal East Assam: Sonitpur, Kaziranga, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Lakhimpur Bihar: Aurangabad, Gaya, Nawada, Jamui Jammu & Kashmir: Udhampur Madhya Pradesh: Sidhi, Shahdol, Jabalpur, Mandla, Balaghat, Chhindwara Maharashtra: Ramtek, Nagpur, Bhandara-Gondiya, Gadchiroli-Chimur, Chandrapur Manipur: Inner Manipur Meghalaya: Shillong, Tura Mizoram: Mizoram Nagaland: Nagaland Rajasthan: Ganganagar, Bikaner, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Sikar, Jaipur Rural, Jaipur, Alwar, Bharatpur, Karauli-Dholpur, Dausa, Nagaur Sikkim: Sikkim Tamil Nadu: Thiruvallur, Chennai North, Chennai South, Chennai Central, Sriperumbudur, Kancheepuram, Arakkonam, Vellore, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Tiruvannamalai, Arani, Viluppuram, Kallakurichi, Salem, Namakkal, Erode, Tiruppur, Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Pollachi, Dindigul, Karur, Tiruchirappalli, Perambalur, Cuddalore, Chidambaram, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Sivaganga, Madurai, Theni, Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukkudi, Tenkasi, Tirunelveli, Kanniyakumari Tripura: Tripura West Uttar Pradesh: Saharanpur, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor, Nagina, Moradabad, Rampur, Pilibhit West Bengal: Cooch Behar, Alipurduars, Jalpaiguri Chhattisgarh: Bastar Uttarakhand: Tehri Garhwal, Garhwal, Almora, Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar, Hardwar Andaman & Nicobar: Andaman Nicobar Islands Lakshadweep: Lakshadweep Puducherry: Puducherry These elections aim to engage citizens in the democratic process, allowing them to exercise their right to vote and shape the future of their nation. Congress Announces Candidates for Lok Sabha 2024, Rahul Gandhi to Contest from Rae Bareli Congress KL Sharma to Contest against BJP's Smriti Irani in Amethi Trinamool Congress Accuses Congress Leader of Promoting BJP Agenda
PM Modi Slams TMC, Accuses Party of Marginalizing Hindus in West Bengal
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a strong critique against the Trinamool Congress (TMC) during a rally in Bardhaman-Durgapur, West Bengal. He asserted that the TMC has marginalized Hindus in the state, making them feel like second-class citizens. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has nominated Dilip Ghosh to contest against TMC candidate Kirti Azad, a former cricketer turned politician. Modi criticized the TMC for its inability to foster development, accusing them of resorting to divisive tactics for electoral gains. He cited an instance where a TMC MLA openly threatened to drown Hindus in the Bhagirathi river within two hours, questioning the ethical standards of such rhetoric. Furthermore, Modi accused the TMC of protecting individuals involved in cases of injustice, specifically mentioning the Sandeshkhali incident and Shahjahan Sheikh. He questioned whether the TMC prioritizes appeasement over justice and humanity. In response, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the Modi government of marginalizing SCs, STs, and OBCs. She also criticized the BJP's stance on Bengal's autonomy and the Election Commission. Meanwhile, the Congress alleged that the Modi government's policies favor crony capitalists and endanger West Bengal's industrial prosperity. Modi is slated to address public gatherings in Krishnanagar, Purba Bardhaman, and Bolpur Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal on Friday, May 3rd. Here's What 2024 Lok Sabha Elections Schedule: Seven Phases from April 19 to June 1 Congress Announces Candidates for Lok Sabha 2024, Rahul Gandhi to Contest from Rae Bareli
WB`s industrial wealth threatened by Modi`s `crony capitalist` policies: Cong
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh posed questions to the prime minister ahead of his Lok Sabha poll rallies in West Bengal
'Agnipariksha', says emotional Kunal Ghosh, tells workers he'll be with them on the ground
Trinamool's Kunal Ghosh expressed loyalty to Mamata Banerjee, questioned party loyalty tests. Derek O'Brien clarified his views. Unease in Kolkata unit ahead of elections. Seniors criticized Ghosh's interview statements about Partha Chatterjee.
BARDHAMAN: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday asserted that Congress' tally in the Lok Sabha polls will be an all-time low, as he mocked its leader Rahul Gandhi's decision to contest from Uttar Pradesh's Rae Bareli seat, sensing defeat at Wayanad where he is a sitting MP. Addressing a rally in the Bardhaman-Durgapur Lok Sabha seat, Modi said that if Congress is voted to power, it would snatch quotas meant for the Scheduled Caste, Dalits and OBCs and give those to its jihadi vote bank to pursue the party's appeasement politics. Rahul to contest LS polls from Rae Bareli, KL Sharma from Amethi Modi also slammed the opposition bloc INDIA and Congress for supporting the vote jihad comments made by a candidate of the Samajwadi Party (SP), an ally of the grand old party in Uttar Pradesh. There is no need for opinion polls or exit polls, as I had talked about their (Congress) defeat long back in Parliament. When their senior leader quit her Lok Sabha seat and entered Parliament through Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan, it was evident that they sensed defeat, Modi said, in an apparent dig at Sonia Gandhi. Now, the shehzada' of Congress, who went to Wayanad (Kerala) after losing the Amethi seat, is also contesting from Rae Bareli. He knows he would lose Wayanad this time, Modi said, referring to Rahul Gandhi's decision to contest from Rae Bareli. The prime minister challenged the Congress to give in writing that it will not amend the Constitution to provide reservations based on religion. They (Congress and INDIA bloc) have to give a written statement that they will not take away the reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs and give those to their vote bank on the basis of religion, Modi said. He also came down heavily on the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal, alleging that the party has made Hindus second-class citizens in the state. Feroze Gandhi to Rahul Gandhi: Rae Bareli's tryst with Congress
Trinamool sharpens Adhir attack over 'BJP clip', Congress cries 'misinformation'
Adhir Chowdhury's controversial video urging votes for BJP over TMC sparks accusations of being a 'BJP agent'. Mamata Banerjee alleges BJP-Congress collusion. Congress clarifies video context amid escalating political tensions in Bengal.
Girl with 'iron will' overcomes book handicap, triumphs without tuition
Puspita Basuri, from a remote village, achieved academic success in Madhyamik at a govt English-medium school without private tuition. She aspires to study engineering despite financial constraints.
PM Modi to address 3 poll rallies in South Bengal
Kolkata: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived in the city last night, is scheduled to address three election rallies in West Bengals southern districts later on Friday, BJP sources said. Modi arrived on Thursday night and halted at the Raj Bhawan. He will address his first BJP rally of the day at Durgapur-Bardhaman Lok Sabha []
See if you can push back last service by 45 minutes: HC to Metro Railway
Calcutta High Court instructs Kolkata Metro to extend last service by 45 mins, aligning with other cities. Division bench involved, PIL for Right to Equality filed. Metro timings in various cities compared, infrastructure challenges noted.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked the Trinamool Congress over appeasement politics and Sandeshkhali while addressing a rally in West Bengal's Bardhaman.
Villages in tiger territory get fresh net cover to avert polling-day intrusion by big cats
In preparation for June 1 polls, a 12km Sundarbans stretch received new nylon nets. This measure aims to prevent tiger interference in villages like Lahiripur and Jamespur, accommodating 57 polling booths and 5 lakh voters in Gosaba and Kultali.
Madhyamik: Slight rise in pass ratio, above-60% share dips from last year
86.3% passed Madhyamik exams by WBBSE, a slight increase from last year. 8,71,839 students appeared, 86.3% passed. First division achievers decreased. Chandrachur Sen tops merit list with 693 marks.
Heatwave gives city a one-day break, may be back from today
Kolkata's temperature dipped after a heatwave, real-feel reaching 47C. Northwesterly winds expected to raise it back above 40C. Thunderstorm forecasted to bring relief and rain after 17 days of heatwave conditions.
The Trinamool Congress claimed that a woman was allegedly molested by West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose under the false pretext of giving her a job, a charge rubbished by Bose.
KOCHI: Every film is a foreign film, foreign to some audience, somewhere around the world. It is through subtitles that an audience can experience different languages and cultures. And behind every foreign film that brings a culture to a viewer is a subtitler. These lines are from the short documentary The Invisible Subtitler.And yes, through subtitles we not only follow the plot but also the people and their lives beyond the screen. Whether its a French art film, a Mexican series, or a Hollywood action thriller, subtitles offer more than just a translation these one-inch strips of text at the bottom of the screen serve as a tool for cultural immersion, letting us explore, understand, and connect with worlds beyond our own. However, there lies one challenge. Not everyone in a multilingual country like India can read the rapidly scrolling English letters. The solution? Regional subtitles. The origin of regional subtitles traces back to 1993 when Doordarshan began adding them to movies from the Indian Panorama and broadcasting them. We had movies with English subtitles at the beginning. The regional subtitling practice was initially adopted in states like Maharashtra, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. We did it with the help of The National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) during the 1980s, says Baiju Chandran, senior journalist and retired director of programmes at Doordarshan. In the late 1990s, Doordarshan began incorporating subtitles in various other regional languages, including Malayalam. The NFDC utilised the LIPS software (The CDAC developed the Language Independent Program Subtitles in Pune)to create regional subtitles, says Lakshmy Narayanan, one of the earlier subtitlers at NFDC. As a result, local channels in their respective languages could select the appropriate language for subtitles alongside the movies. Money Heist, Spanish series However, in Kerala, the scene is a bit different. Its the film societies and amateur groups that have been crafting Malayalam subtitles. The beginning follows thus: In October 2012, a group of movie enthusiasts from the Facebook film groupCinema Paradiso Clubembarked on a remarkable journey by producing Malayalam subtitles for MajidMajidis film Children of Heaven.The idea was led initially by members of the club, Sreejith Parippai and Gokul Dinesh. It took us three days to finish the task. We watched the movie with the English subtitles on. Yes, our subtitle had several mistakes and we didnt concentrate on decoding any cultural references or humour. Our motive was purely on introducing the thought to movie buffs and later grow the initiative according to peoples interest, says Sreejith. For the duo, the inspiration to make foreign content accessible to people from all walks of life came from a few articles. Especially, the articles published in periodicals discussing Malayalam subtitles by C S Venkiteswaran. Also, the successful efforts of Irumpanam School in creating subtitles for students was another turning point, says Sreejith. He is speaking about a film club at Irumpanam Vocational Higher Secondary School in Ernakulam, which screened Akira KursawasDreams with Malayalam subtitles for the students. This was way back in 2010. The initiative was the brainchild of their Malayalam teacher, Sanal Kumar. After releasing the first movie with subtitles on Cinema Paradiso ClubsFacebook page, Sreejith and Gokul were dissatisfied with its low reach. We recognised the need for a dedicated platform beyond the regular social media. So, we established a blog and formed a group called M-SONE (Malayalam Subtitles for Everyone).Many from the Cinema Paradiso Club also joined the blog, says Sreejith. C S Venkiteswaran M-SONE has now released 3,331 movies with Malayalam subtitles. All thanks to a team of 597 translators. The members claim that the total subtitle count may be over 7,000 if series episodes are also counted. Now anyone can contribute subtitles to movies. The earlier members of the group serve as the admins and they cross-check and verify the subtitles, adds Sreejith. Its not an easy task, especially since one is doing it out of pure passion. One such person, Ameya Shaji (name changed) has been a contributing member of M-SONE for a while now. According to her, dependingon the duration of the movie and the time she has in hand, it would take at least three to one week to provide subtitles for a movie. Most subtitlers use a software called Subtitle Edit. However, they dont just translate words literally, they analyse the dialogue in each scene to capture the full meaning without losing the core message. The software will have timestamps and the subtitler will translate the dialogues and save it asa.srtfile, Ameya explains the process.The groups subtitle collection is available on their website for all to download. Malayalam subtitles are not restricted to these online groups. The Open Frame Film Society, Payyanur, has also been at the forefront of promoting cinema through Malayalam subtitles. Their efforts have resulted in subtitling approximately 50 classic movies, including Hiroshima Mon Amour, Charulatha, Knife in theWater, TokyoStory and Death byHanging. It has completed three hundred other films too. P Premachandran, a higher secondary Malayalam teacher and a member of the film society, says the efforts have eased language barriers.When we organise film festivals, the older population can understand the craft better if we add Malayalam subtitles. In one such workshop, critic K F Mathews pointed out that he could acquire deeper knowledgeof the 1956 film Night In Fog, thanks to the subtitles, he says. Also, many older people drop by the Payyanur film festival as they dont want to miss out on experiencing a foreign movie in their mother tongue. Plans are now afoot at the society for its 9th Film Festival. Premachandran says the societys efforts have also facilitated the screening of academic films with Malayalam subtitles in many schools across Kerala,says Premachandran. He says, Malayalam subtitles is a way to introduce school children to world cinema. With subtitle files that are in WhatsApp groups to introduce classics and film related to education to young children. Afterall, cinema is also a tool for education, he smiles. The challenges Malayalam subtitling groups grapple with ethical dilemmas, and one of the most prominent issues is piracy. Interestingly, the acceptance of Malayalam subtitles owes much to the availability of foreign films on platforms like Telegram and Torrents. The audience for Malayalam subtitles often overlaps with those who consume pirated content. Another significant challenge faced by subtitlers lies in translating profanity. Rendering them into Malayalam without offending the audience is no small feat, especially as the viewers include schoolchildren to older audiences. Sreejith discusses another aspect double translation. Foreign films undergo double translation when rendered into Malayalam.Subtitlers, who are often unfamiliar with the original text, rely on English subtitles for their translations. And that means the authenticity and originality of the text is questionable. During this process of double translation, numerous words and meanings are inevitably lost, Sreejith says. Diversity in captions National award-winning film critic C S Venkiteswaran, however, ponits to an interesting phenomenon. There are several versions of Malayalam subtitles available for the same movie reflecting different dialects or slang. Hence, viewers from various regions in Kerala can select the version that truly speaks to them. Its all about the abundance of choices. Providing ample options ensures that viewers can find the one that suits their preferences, he says. Rajeev Ramachandran, a senior journalist and audio-visual translator, emphasises the importance of subtitles with closed captions and audio descriptions. Closed captions enhance inclusivity by providing a cinematic experience for the hearing impaired. However, modern cinema extends beyond mere dialogue it encompasses scenes, actions, and the audio track, all of which significantly contribute to the narrative. For me, closed captioning is akin to translating a visual and auditory cinematic concept into a different language, he says.
BJP's Dilip Ghosh defends Bengal Governor amid molestation allegations, calls out 'TMC politics'
Defending West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose in the alleged molestation case, former state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh on Friday said that this matter is a ploy of TMC politics and questioned how low the ruling Bengal party will stoop to insult those holding constitutional posts.
TMC Faces Tough Challenge from BJP in Arambagh, Outcome Hinges on Key Factors
TMC Faces Tough Challenge from BJP in Arambagh, Outcome Hinges on Key Factors Development, or the alleged lack of it, and recurrent floods in every monsoon are the key issues of the erstwhile red bastion Arambagh Lok Sabha constituency in West Bengal's Hooghly district, an SC-reserved political hotspot of the state in terms of law and order volatility. The TMC may have won the 2014 and 2019 editions of parliamentary polls in Arambagh, but the party's steady decline in vote share over the last two editions coupled with BJP trumping Trinamool in four of Arambaghs six assembly seats in Hooghly in the 2021 state polls are signs of an upcoming battle which Mamata Banerjee's party may find tougher to tide past than what appears on paper. That's perhaps why Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose Arambagh to kick start his poll campaigns in Bengal and addressed one of the poll season's first public meetings on March 1 from where he slammed the Mamata Banerjee government for ''betraying the people of the state''. The state's ruling dispensation has replaced its two-time MP Aparupa Poddar with Hooghly Zilla Parishad member Mitali Bag who debuts in parliamentary polls. The BJP nominated Arup Kanti Digar, also a first-timer. People, especially farmers, are in deep distress because of recurrent floods, Digar told PTI. ''Floods are a routine affair in places like Pursura, Goghat, Khanakul and Chandrakona during July-August every year. The TMC government has grossly misutilised Central funds to undertake measures like dredging of water bodies and building barrages while offering no more than lip service to the Ghatal master plan to control flood damages in neighbouring Paschim Medinipur,'' he said. He also accused the state government of discriminating against the area by neglecting the creation of employment opportunities for youths. The panchayats withheld disbursal of central funds for several welfare schemes of the Narendra Modi government among the poor, the BJP candidate further alleged. Rubbishing Digar's narrative, his TMC counterpart claimed that women and youths of the constituency benefitted from various schemes implemented in the state by the Mamata Banerjee government. Bag said, ''The less BJP talks about Arambagh's flood, the better. Despite constant pleas by our government and our MPs, the BJP-run Centre is yet to act on the Ghatal master plan or the Mayurakshi and Keleghai flood control projects.'' ''An integrated plan is needed to prevent flooding of the basin-like area during monsoon, but the Centre's discriminatory attitude has proved to be the stumbling block in all these years,'' she alleged. The CPI(M) which had won Arambagh ten times before 2014 has fielded Biplab Maitra, a primary school teacher. A district leader of the CPI(M) stated that the party was virtually wiped out from the seat over the last decade on account of ''terror unleashed by the TMC''. The CPI(M) bagged 1,00,520 votes in 2019, which was less than seven per cent of the votes polled. This time, however, the situation is different, he claimed. ''The young generation, particularly the unemployed graduates, are upset with the TMC for not only failing in industrialization but also turning the state's education sector into a mess by perpetrating job scams of unprecedented levels. We hope to do well if the polling is free and fair,'' the CPI(M) leader said. Arambagh is home to vast swathes of agrarian land and comprises mostly rural assembly pockets like Haripal, Tarakeswar, Pursurah, Arambagh, Goghat, Khanakul. It also includes Chandrakona, the only assembly segment falling in the neighbouring district of Paschim Medinipur. Election observers are of the opinion that the fight between the TMC and BJP is likely to go down to the wire this time around. ''The TMC seems to be on a bit of a sticky wicket this time due to grassroots grievances on development in the area and recurrent flooding. The school job recruitment scam is likely to have an impact as well. A sizeable number of young teaching job aspirants hail from Arambagh in particular and Hooghly district in general,'' academic and Pursura resident Ashis Bera said. Bera, a political science professor at Burdwan University, stated that the Sandeshkhali incident may also cast a shadow on the prospects of the ruling dispensation. ''There is a strong undercurrent of support for Mamata Banerjee among women. It needs to be seen if her social welfare schemes can tilt the balance in her favour. Arambagh is also a microcosm of the entire southern part of West Bengal. Hence the trend here can largely reflect on the ruling party's poll fortunes in the other so-called 'safe seats' of the party south of the Farakka barrage,'' he said. Digar said that Banerjee's decision to remove Aparupa Poddar, the two-time winner from Arambagh, from the poll fray shows everything is not well within the TMC. She claimed factional fights within the TMC will adversely impact its electoral prospects. ''TMC won by only 1,142 votes last time. Keep watching which way the wind blows when the votes are counted on June 4,'' the BJP nominee said. Bag, however, dismissed her opponent's claims and stated that such averments were mere political ploys which had little truth in them.. Arambagh will go to polls in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections on May 20.
West Bengal Guv bans entry of police, state Finance Minister into Raj Bhavan
West Bengal Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said that prior to the Prime Minister`s visit to the state, a woman had filed a complaint against the Governor accusing the latter of molestation.
Day after TMC action against him, Ghosh calls himself grassroot worker
KOLKATA: A day after Kunal Ghosh was removed as the general secretary of the Trinamool Congress, he said on Thursday that he would continue to work as a grassroot worker of the party. No problem, I will love to be on the road, working for the party on the field, Ghosh told a local Bengali channel. He was seen crying before the party workers. I cry openly unlike many others who cry only on WhatsApp or other social media platforms to garner sympathy from the TMC chief, he said. Ghosh later told reporters that internal information of the party does not reach chief minister Mamata Banerjee as she is bogged with many works. A section of the party leaders does not want the information to be passed on to Banerjee and thats why she is unaware of many internal developments in the party, he said. Ghosh questioned the role of TMC MP Derek O Brien. Who is Derek O Brien? He only speaks good English. Thats his credential. He is not a politician. Ghosh was stripped off his position after sharing a platform with TMC turncoat and BJPs North Kolkata candidate Tapas Roy on Wednesday, which drew criticism from the TMC leadership. Tapas Roy is a true mass leader. His doors are always open for party workers and people. I have known him for several decades. Unfortunately, our paths are now different as Tapas-da is no more in our party despite our best efforts to retain him, Ghosh had said at the platform. While the TMC had issued a statement informing about its decision to remove Ghosh as state general secretary, the party on Thursday issued a fresh list of star campaigners which retained names of party heavyweights Mamata Banerjee, Abhishek Banerjee and 38 other leaders including new entrants like Ritabrata Banerjee, minister Birbaha Hansda and candidate Saayoni Ghosh, only leaving out Ghosh. While Ghoshs actions were questioned, some party members, including TMC Rajya Sabha spokesperson Santanu Sen and West Bengal minister Bratya Basu, acknowledged his contributions to the party. bengal governor accused of harassment West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose was accused of sexual harassment by a female employee of Raj Bhavan. The woman, who has been working as a temporary staff of Raj Bhavan since 2019, complained of feeling uncomfortable when the Governor met her on Thursday reportedly to discuss her promotion. In the complaint, the woman said she was touched improperly by the Governor a week ago.
Raj Bhavan staffer accuses West Bengal governor of molestation
A Raj Bhavan employee accused governor C V Ananda Bose of molestation in Kolkata, sparking legal consultations and political reactions. PM Modi visited Raj Bhavan before campaigning, and concerns about corruption and violence were raised.
Kerala: Climate change reality gets heatwave check
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Valerian Isaac, a traditional fisherman from Anchuthengu in Thiruvananthapuram, is deeply concerned about the impact of climate change on his livelihood and the overall quality of life. He used to enjoy his summer with the sea cooling down when folks in the town sweltered in the heat. The situation however has changed dramatically. The sea has warmed up significantly. Consequently, the fish have migrated to cooler waters away from the coast. Previously, we relied on good winds and occasional rains to alleviate the heat. But this summer has proven to be the toughest yet, Isaac said. With the dwindling catch, only a handful of fishermen dare to venture out into the sea in his area. And they are not the only ones suffering. Adverse weather has also affected autorickshaw drivers, tour operators, vegetable vendors and those in the construction sector. As the government considers imposing further restrictions on operations between 11am and 3pm, the livelihoods of even more sectors hang in the balance. Isaac, like many others, had not heard of the term El Nino, a climate phenomenon responsible for warming the sea surface temperature in the Pacific Ocean and often cited as a primary cause of harsh summers. However, he, along with the rest of the populace, has become acquainted with the term heatwave in recent times. Its sudden appearance in the vocabulary coincided with its confirmation in Palakkad on April 26, the day of the general elections. Such weather was once considered unusual, mostly associated with the traditional hot regions of the country. The India Meteorological Department first issued a heatwave alert in Kerala in 2016, the warmest year on record for the state, primarily focused on Palakkad. This year, the focus has again been on Palakkad which experienced scorching temperatures throughout April, with Thrissur following suit. Subsequently, heatwave alerts were issued for Kollam, Kozhikode and Alappuzha, as temperatures in these districts deviated from the norm significantly. A majority of those belonging to the fishing community in Perumathura in Thiruvananthapuram are spending their time under the shade of coconut palms. The reason being the roofs of their homes are made of asbestos and tin sheets, which increase the heat Weather experts assert the situation is similar across south and east India. An Asia-wide heatwave map published by international weather agencies depicts most countries in the region coloured in red. The temperature rise is attributed to global warming induced by climate change. The impact of El Nino exacerbates the situation, said D Sivananda Pai, senior scientist and ADGM of India Meteorological Department. According to him, the dry weather in Kerala has increased the temperature. In Palakkad, the relative humidity is now in the 30-40% range in comparison to the normal 60-80%. Thats why the temperature remains high. The condition is worse for people living in more humid areas as high moisture content does not help reduce body temperature, he said. Like this year, 2016 too was an El Nino year. While it was the warmest year in recent history, the damage, technically, was limited to a heatwave alert in Palakkad. What makes the conditions worse than 2016 is the absence of summer rain, especially in the northern districts, and the land use and land cover changes because of urbanisation, said Rajeevan Erikkulam, a meteorologist with the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority. Weather experts pointed out the situation is likely to improve by the second week of May when summer rains are expected to be more regular. The El Nino effect is expected to be neutral during the time of monsoon, but the experts have a warning the next El Nino year could be much worse than 2024. What is heatwave? Qualitatively, heatwave is a condition of air temperature that becomes fatal to human body when exposed. Quantitatively, it is defined based on the temperature thresholds over a region in terms of actual temperature or its departure from normal. Criterion for declaring heatwave Heatwave is considered to be in effect if the maximum temperature of a station reaches at least 40Celsius or more in the plains, at least 30Celsius or more in hilly regions, and 37 Celsius or more in coastal regions. The departure from normal is 4.5 to 6.4Celsius. If the above criteria is met in at least two stations in a meteorological sub-division for at least two consecutive days, a heatwave is declared on the second day. A woman carrying a pedestal fan on a two-wheeler in Kochi. With mercury level going up, residents are opting for various methods to beat the scorching heat Heatwave prone states Heatwave generally occurs over the plains of northwest India and central, east and north peninsular India from March to June. It covers Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, parts of Maharashtra and Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Sometimes, it occurs over Tamil Nadu and Kerala too. Impact of heatwave Water stress Health problems Livelihood problems Heatwave in Kerala First alert - Palakkad, in 2016 First alert - Kozhikode - 2020 First confirmation this year - Palakkad, on April 26 First alert in Alappuzha - April 30 Reasons for heatwave Global warming El Nino Absence of summer rain Urbanisation Number of days above 40 degrees Celsius in April in Kerala 2024 - 16 (15 in Palakkad) 2023 - 3 2016 - 14 1989 - 8
West Bengal Governor bans entry of police, state Finance Minister into Raj Bhavan
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Here is a select list of stories to start the day
Bengal Governor Bars Entry Of Cops, State Finance Minister Into Raj Bhavan
West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose issued an order on Thursday night banning the entry of the police and Minister of State for Finance, Chandrima Bhattacharya, into the Raj Bhavan.
Traffic curbs for PMs visit to city
Ex-Presi Eng prof AKM passes away
Fake video: FIR on 2023Odisha case
Senior citizens body found in lift shaft
Tree branch falls on road, damages Salt Lake park wall
Kidney patients throng hosps with heat effects
HC: Keep Maidan free from plastic pollution
3 classmates make school proud with their courage to fight on
HC orders state to help CBI verify Sandeshkhali land cases
Bengal trying to paint CBI probes as Centre-state row: Govt in SC
Centre informs Supreme Court of lack of control over CBI, opposing West Bengal's Article 131 suit on CBI probes. Legal battle continues with Tushar Mehta and Kapil Sibal presenting arguments.
Pool relief for KP horses & dogs
Jaipur cops arrest 2 from West Bengal in organ transplant case
Five-month block lifted from VIP Road stretch
Biz partner, kin stab Cong block chief to death on Kaiser Street
Father stabs chef to death in Beniapukur
HC for raids to curb illegal sandmining
Goopy & Bagha to spread thalassaemia awareness
Polling booths in tiger territory get fresh net cover in Sundarbans
A 12-kilometer river stretch that runs alongside the villages of Lahiripur, Jamespur, Kumirmari, Choto Mollakhali, and Jharkhali in Sundarbans, West Bengal, has recently been equipped with new nylon nets. These nets aim to deter tigers that wander out of the reserve forest, preventing them from entering human settlements and causing disturbances during the polling process on June 1.
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh addressing a BJP election meeting at Tarakeswar in Arambagh Lok Sabha constituency, West Bengal on Thursday. The post Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh addressing a BJP election meeting at Tarakeswar in Arambagh Lok Sabha constituency, West Bengal on Thursday. appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Eastern front: on the electoral battle in West Bengal
Polarisation of votes in West Bengal is edging out the Left and the Congress
Woman accuses WB governor of molestation, lodges police complaint
Kolkata: In what has stumped the BJP amid the Lok Sabha Election in West Bengal, a woman accused Governor C.V. Ananda Bose of molesting her at Raj Bhavan on Thursday hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached the governors house to spend the night for his poll campaign in three districts on Friday The victim, working on contract since 2019 at Raj Bhavan, also stays at an accommodation there. She lodged a complaint at the Hare Street police station in the evening, alleging that the Governor outraged her modesty on the pretext of making her job permanent with a promotion. According to the complaint, the woman was called by Bose to his chamber last week for a meeting after her transfer from a department to another recently. She, however, left the chamber after feeling uncomfortable by his behaviour. On Thursday, the woman was again called by the Governor to his chamber. This time, she took her colleague who was, however, asked to leave the chamber. The victim claimed that the Governor behaved with her indecently. She rushed out crying and reached the police outpost. Lashing out at Bose, TMC posted on X handle, Appalling and unthinkable! The sanctity of Raj Bhavan, a symbol of our constitutionality, has been tarnished. Hours before PM Narendra Modi was supposed to arrive at Raj Bhavan to spend the night, a woman was allegedly molested by the Governor under the false pretext of a job. Such despicable behaviour must be condemned in the strongest terms. Justice must be delivered swiftly for the victim no excuses, no delays! Bose, however, said, Truth shall triumph. I refuse to be cowed down by engineered narratives. If anybody wants some election benefits by maligning me, God Bless them. But they cannot stop my fight against corruption and violence in Bengal. According to Raj Bhavan sources, some derogatory narratives were circulated by two disgruntled employees as agents of political parties but other staff expressed solidarity with the governor. Raj Bhavan in a communiqu later barred entry to minister of state for finance Chandrima Bhattacharya citing defamation and anti-constitutional media statements. It added that the Governor would not participate in any function attended by the minister, and that the Attorney General had been contacted for advice on further legal steps against the minister.
Engineered Narrative, Bengal Governor reacts to molestation charge
Kolkata: Hours after a temporary female staff at the Raj Bhavan filed a written complaint with the police accusing West Bengal Governor CV Bose of outraging her modesty, the latter denied the charges Thursday night, calling the accusation an attempt to gain electoral benefits. Truth shall triumph. I refuse to be cowed down by engineered []
Congress and CPI(M) join forces in Murshidabad to defeat the sitting TMC MP
TMC doing its best to get all four seats going to polls in Bengal on May 7 By Tirthankar Mitra The third phase of Lok Sabha polls on May 7 will witness an acid test of the solidness of the alliance between Congress and CPI(M) in West Bengal, both being allies in INDIA coalition. The [] The post Congress and CPI(M) join forces in Murshidabad to defeat the sitting TMC MP appeared first on Northlines .
Bengal : Modi KI Guarantees are bundle of lies : Mamata
Krishnanagar, May 2 (UNI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying Modi Ki Guarantees are a bundle of lies, and accused the Centre of discriminating against the state by withholding funds for millions of workers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Act. Addressing an election rally... The post Bengal : Modi KI Guarantees are bundle of lies : Mamata first appeared on Central India's Premier English Daily .
Raj Bhavan employee accuses West Bengal Governor of sexual harassment
Ananda Bose says he wont be cowed down by engineered narratives.
Soaring temperatures scorch Eastern and Southern India: Nandyal records sweltering 46.2 degrees Celsius Intense heat swept through east India and parts of the southern peninsular region on Thursday, testing power grids and prompting the Kerala government to order closure of educational institutions till May 6. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said heat wave to severe heat wave conditions scorched parts of West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and coastal Andhra Pradesh. At least 17 places in these states recorded temperatures above the 44-degree Celsius mark. The mercury settled at 46.2 degrees Celsius at Nandyal in Andhra Pradesh, 45.3 degrees at Palwancha in Telangana, 44.3 degrees at Karur Paramathi in Tamil Nadu, 45 degrees at Bolangir in Odisha, and 44.3 degrees at Kalaikunda in West Bengal. As Kerala continued to reel under punishing heat, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan directed the closure of educational institutions in the state until May 6. The IMD said the ongoing heat wave spell in east and south peninsular India will continue till May 3 and abate thereafter. The Met office on Wednesday said above normal maximum temperatures are likely over most parts of the country in May and a significantly high number of heat wave days expected over the northern plains, central region, and adjoining areas of peninsular India. April saw record-smashing maximum temperatures in east, northeast, and southern peninsular India prompting health warnings from government agencies and some states to suspend in-person classes in schools. A number of stations recorded their highest ever April day temperature. Five active Western Disturbances led to rain, thunderstorm, and hail storms over north and central India at regular intervals in April, preventing heat waves. IMD data shows that heat waves in April this year were far worse than in 2023, the warmest year on record so far. This trend is likely to continue in May, with around eight to 11 heat wave days predicted over south Rajasthan, west Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Marathwada, and Gujarat regions. The remaining parts of Rajasthan, east Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and some parts of Chhattisgarh, interior Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, north interior Karnataka, and Telangana may record five to seven heat wave days in the month. Normally, the northern plains, central India, and adjoining areas of peninsular India experience around three days of heat waves in May. India saw two spells of heat waves in April from April 5 to 7 and April 15 to 30. The IMD attributes the prolonged heat wave spell over east, northeast, and south peninsular India in April to the absence of thunderstorms and an anticyclone at lower levels over the west central Bay of Bengal and the adjoining eastern coasts of India. This caused the sea breeze to cut off over Odisha and West Bengal on most days. The weather office said south peninsular India recorded an average maximum temperature of 31 degrees Celsius in April, which was the second-highest since 1901. The mean temperature (28.12 degrees Celsius) in April in east and northeast India was the highest since 1901, it said. The IMD said above normal maximum temperatures have become frequent over south peninsular India since 1980s. The region recorded 12.6 mm of rainfall in April, which was the fifth lowest since 1901 and the second lowest since 2001. According to IMD data, the number of heat wave days this April was the highest in 15 years in Gangetic West Bengal and nine years in Odisha. Odisha also experienced the longest heat wave spell (16 days) in April since 2016. Amid the prevailing but weakening El Nino conditions, the IMD had earlier warned of extreme heat during the April-June period, coinciding with the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections. Hundreds of thousands of voters had to cope with the searing heat when they stepped out to exercise their franchise in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 26. Polling for 94 constituencies across 12 states will take place on May 7. The weather office had earlier expected four to eight heat wave days in different parts of the country in April against a normal of one to three days. Ten to 20 heat wave days are expected against a normal of four to eight in the entire April-June period.
Kolkata Police in a fix over molestation complaint against Bengal Governor
Despite receiving a written complaint from a woman staffer of the Raj Bhavan accusing West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose of 'outraging her modesty', the Kolkata Police seem to be in a fix as to what should the next course of action in the matter.
Didi Accuses Congress of Colluding with BJP
Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused the Congress of teaming up with BJP to ask the voters not to support her party in the Lok Sabha Election in the state. The Trinamul Congress supremo also blamed the Congress for having no policy or ideology. Her allegations came a day after state Congress president and five-time MP Adhir Choudhury, who is seeking his re-election from Berhampore parliamentary seat in Murshidabad, suggested to the people to vote for BJP instead of TMC. Addressing a poll campaign rally for TMC candidate Mahua Moitra, Ms Banerjee said at Tehatta in Nadia, I salute the Election Commission member who resigned for pathetic treatment towards Bengal. But who are the people, now in chair? In a veiled reference to Mr Choudhurys designation in Lok Sabha, the CM added, They are BJP people along with one from Congress, also the leader of the opposition, who is asking people to vote either his party or BJP. Try to understand. They have neither policy nor ideology. To justify her argument, the TMC chief pointed out, Two leaders (BJP president JP Nadda and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath) held meetings recently in Berhampore but did not utter the name of that leader (Mr Choudhury) for even once. Why didn't they do it? Afterall, a bunch of selfish people like them have sold out the country. On Wednesday, the TMC posted a video clip on X-handle which showed Mr Choudhury saying, It's better to vote for BJP rather than TMC during his poll campaign. Ms Banerjee also alerted the public about hearing lies on Friday when Prime Minister Narendra Modi will a BJP rally at Tehatta. She said, Tomorrow BJP leaders are coming here again to spread lies because they have an allergy of Mahua who was expelled from the post for revealing the truth.
Congress to Deploy National Leaders in Telangana for Election Push
Hyderabad: The Congress will step up campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections in Telangana in the last leg by deploying national leaders like AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar between May 5 and 11. Their campaign will begin after the conclusion of the Lok Sabha elections on May 7. Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar had campaigned extensively during the Telangana state Assembly elections in November 2023. The party leadership has also decided to rope in leaders from Karnataka and Maharashtra for campaigning in the bordering areas of Telangana state. Besides, Congress leaders from Bihar, West Bengal, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kerala etc will meet voters hailing from their states Chevella, Malkajgiri, Secunderabad and Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituencies. Rahul Gandhi: May 5: Rallies in Nirmal and Gadwal for Adilabad (Atram Suguna) and Mahbubnagar (Challa Vamshi Chand Reddy); May 9: Karimnagar and Saroornagar, for V. Rajender Rao (Karimnagar) and G. Ranjith Redddy (Chevella). Priyanka Gandhi: May 6, election rallies in Yellareddy, Tandur in support of T. Jeevan Reddy (Nizamabad), G. Ranjith Reddy (Chevella) and Secunderabad (Danam Nagender); May 7: Narsapur and Kukatpally for Neelam Madhu Mudiraj (Medak) and Patnam Sunitha Mahendar Reddy (Maljakgiri).
West Bengal Police neutralise 22 crude bombs in Cooch Behar district
West Bengal Police neutralise 22 crude bombs in Cooch Behar district Amidst the Lok Sabha Elections of 2024, West Bengal Police on Thursday neutralised 22 crude bombs in Cooch Behar's Sitalkuchi area, an official said. Last month, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition, including foreign-made pistols and revolvers, during searches in Sandeshkhali. The recovery was made during searches carried out by the CBI teams in connection with a case related to violence against the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) officials. The team recovered: three foreign-made revolvers, one Indian revolver, one Colt official police revolver, one foreign-made pistol, one country-made pistol, 120 09 mm bullets, 50 .45 calibre cartridges, 120 09 mm calibre cartridges, 50 .380 cartridges and eight .32 cartridges, the agency stated. Besides this, many incriminating documents related to Sheikh Shahjahan were also recovered. Some items suspected to be country-made bombs have also been recovered which are being handled and disposed of by the teams from NSG. West Bengal, which sends 42 MPs, to Parliament, is voting in all seven phases. Voting for phases one and two was held on April 19 and April 26, respectively. Polling for the remaining parliamentary constituencies will be conducted on May 4, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1. The counting of votes will be done on June 4. (ANI)
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Law and order is a State subject, SC says as West Bengal complains of CBIs unilateral investigations
West Bengal says the Centres intent is to get in through the CBI, then use the ED to do whatever is to be done; Union government says original suit of the State is not maintainable and should be dismissed by the court
GST meet to discuss fake registrations
Central and state GST officers will meet on Friday under the chairmanship of Revenue Secretary Sanjay Malhotra and are likely to discuss various issues like stricter registration norms to deter fake companies set up to evade taxes, sources said. The meeting comes within days of GST collections scaling a record high of Rs 2.10 lakh crore in April on the back of strong economic momentum, increased domestic transactions and tighter audit and scrutiny. The third National Co-ordination Meeting of senior officers of Central and State Tax administrations would, among other things, discuss further tightening of registration under Goods and Services Tax (GST) to curb fake companies, set up only to claim an input tax credit (ITC). The meeting is also scheduled to discuss ways to reach out to the mastermind of GST fraud by following the money trail, sources added. To identify risky taxpayers suspected of passing or availing fake ITC, tax officers are using data analytics and artificial intelligence tools. Besides, robust checks in the form of physical verification of premises and Aadhar authentication are in place for GST registration. This has enabled early detection of fraudulent registrations and curbed them to a great extent. In Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry, a pilot on risk-based biometric-based Aadhaar authentication is being carried out for registration of applications. As per the government data, between April and December 2023, about 14,600 cases of GST evasion have been registered by central tax officers. Maximum number of such frauds was registered in Maharashtra (2,716), followed by Gujarat (2,589), Haryana (1,123) and West Bengal (1,098). Besides, GST intelligence officers have detected fake ITC cases worth Rs 18,000 crore in April-December 2023 and arrested 98 fraudsters/ masterminds. The first National Coordination Meeting of State and Central GST officers was held on April 24, 2023. The issue of fake/ bogus registration under GST was discussed, and it was decided to launch a special pan-India drive to identify fake GSTINs. The second meeting was held on December 14, 2023, in which best practices adopted by various states to curb evasion were shared, besides deliberation on other issues.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee accuses BJP of marginalizing Dalits, backward communities
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee accuses BJP of marginalizing Dalits, backward communities West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused the Narendra Modi government of attempting to marginalise the SCs, STs, and OBCs. Speaking at a rally in support of TMC candidate Mahua Moitra at Tehatta in Nadia district, Banerjee criticised the BJP government's 'falsehoods' about citizenship benefits for marginalised communities, warning that the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) could jeopardise the rights of the SCs, STs, and OBCs. ''Prime Minister Narendra Modi is lying about the benefits of UCC that it will help everybody. Instead, if UCC is implemented, it will put at stake the existence of SCs, STs and OBCs. BJP will destroy the Constitution. But rest assured, we will not let it happen,'' Banerjee said. The TMC chief said for the past 10 years, the BJP has been spreading lies about Matuas and other backward castes getting citizenship through the CAA. ''It is a ploy to take away one's already existing bona fide citizenship rights and deport them to concentration camps,'' she added. The Krishnanagar constituency has a large Matua population. She claimed that the UCC will prevent different communities, tribes and sects from practicing their own customs and rituals. She expressed surprise over the Election Commission's announcement of an increased poll percentage four days after the actual voting took place, stating that while she wasn't casting aspersions on the EC, she found it unfathomable. Banerjee cautioned against BJP's alleged tactics to manipulate voting figures and threats by party leaders to IAS and IPS officers in West Bengal and vowed to resist any attempts to undermine the state's integrity. ''Intimidation, threat and pressure by the Narendra Modi government on state ministers, officials or people will not work in Bengal,'' she said. At another rally at Memari in Purba Bardhaman district, Banerjee accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of making false claims that Bengal hadn't provided utilisation certificates for the Rs 2 lakh-crore central funds allocated three years ago. She demanded transparency regarding the breakup of the Rs 52,000 crore shown as expenses by 52 central departments. The CM criticised the imposition of a seven-phase polling in West Bengal, contrasting it with Tamil Nadu's single-phase election, suggesting it was punishment for supporting TMC. Banerjee alleged that BJP and Modi were intolerant of Bengal's independence and the Election Commission's autonomy. ''BJP and Modi can't tolerate Bengal and the EC doing things as dictated by them,'' she alleged.
GST Council to Consider Crackdown on Fake Registrations at National Coordination Meeting
GST Council to Consider Crackdown on Fake Registrations at National Coordination Meeting Central and state GST officers will meet on Friday under the chairmanship of Revenue Secretary Sanjay Malhotra and are likely to discuss various issues like stricter registration norms to deter fake companies set up to evade taxes, sources said. The meeting comes within days of GST collections scaling a record high of Rs 2.10 lakh crore in April on the back of strong economic momentum, increased domestic transactions and tighter audit and scrutiny. The third National Co-ordination Meeting of senior officers of Central and State Tax administrations would, among other things, discuss further tightening of registration under Goods and Services Tax (GST) to curb fake companies, set up only to claim an input tax credit (ITC). The meeting is also scheduled to discuss ways to reach out to the mastermind of GST fraud by following the money trail, sources added. To identify risky taxpayers suspected of passing or availing fake ITC, tax officers are using data analytics and artificial intelligence tools. Besides, robust checks in the form of physical verification of premises and Aadhar authentication are in place for GST registration. This has enabled early detection of fraudulent registrations and curbed them to a great extent. In Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry, a pilot on risk-based biometric-based Aadhaar authentication is being carried out for registration of applications. As per the government data, between April and December 2023, about 14,600 cases of GST evasion have been registered by central tax officers. Maximum number of such frauds was registered in Maharashtra (2,716), followed by Gujarat (2,589), Haryana (1,123) and West Bengal (1,098). Besides, GST intelligence officers have detected fake ITC cases worth Rs 18,000 crore in April-December 2023 and arrested 98 fraudsters/ masterminds. The first National Coordination Meeting of State and Central GST officers was held on April 24, 2023. The issue of fake/ bogus registration under GST was discussed, and it was decided to launch a special pan-India drive to identify fake GSTINs. The second meeting was held on December 14, 2023, in which best practices adopted by various states to curb evasion were shared, besides deliberation on other issues.
CBI vs West Bengal: Solicitor General says agency is independent, state disagrees
CBI vs West Bengal Solicitor General says agency is independent state disagrees
