Bengal Minister seeks Mamata Banerjees arrest over ED claims in Indranil Sen probe
Digital Desk | Kolkata, Oct 2 (IANS) A political controversy erupted in West Bengal on Friday after Labour Minister Arjun Singh demanded the arrest of former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, citing an Enforcement Directorate (ED) statement claiming that Rs 30 lakh was transferred to her from the bank account of Octave Records, a proprietorship concern of former state minister Indranil Sen, who is under investigation in connection with alleged money laundering cases. The people of Bengal know that Mamata Banerjee made her nephew a money-making machine. The former Chief Minister was very much a part of the game. Now everything is coming out in the open, Singh told reporters. He alleged that Mamata Banerjee had damaged the state's finances during her tenure and said she should be arrested. The comments came after the ED issued a statement on Thursday naming Mamata Banerjee and former West Bengal Tourism Minister Indranil Sen in connection with an investigation into a money laundering case separate from the Mass Art case, in which the organisation had been accused of selling Durga Puja preview show passes in 2024 and 2025. Sen is already under the ED scanner in connection with the Mass Art case. The latest matter relates to the ED's investigation into Sen's proprietorship concern, Octave Records. According to the ED statement, during Sen's tenure as Tourism Minister in a Trinamool Congress government led by Mamata Banerjee, multiple tenders worth more than Rs 85 crore from the state Tourism and Cultural Affairs Departments were allegedly awarded to entities owned by Dhrubajyoti Bose and Dipesh Roy, who were described as close associates of Sen. The agency alleged that these entities subsequently transferred large sums of money to businesses controlled by relatives of Indranil Sen. It also claimed that substantial cash withdrawals were made from the accounts of the entities that secured those tenders. In the same statement, the ED claimed that its investigation revealed that more than Rs 3.3 crore in cash had been deposited in the bank accounts of Sen and his proprietorship concern, Octave Records. The agency further claimed that nearly Rs 30 lakh was transferred from the bank account of Octave Records to Mamata Banerjee through banking channels. According to the ED statement, Indranil Sen stated that the amount was paid as royalty. Singh's demand for Mamata Banerjees arrest was based on the contents of the ED statement. However, Trinamool Congress MLA from Beliaghata Assembly constituency Kunal Ghosh came out in defence of Mamata Banerjee. The money that went to Mamata Banerjees account from Sen's organisation was completely legal and is reflected in income tax records, Ghosh said. He said Mamata Banerjee had been writing and composing songs for many years and that Sens organisation had commercially marketed those songs. According to Ghosh, the payments received by Mamata Banerjee were royalty payments arising from those works. He alleged that there was an attempt to politically malign the former Chief Minister.
BJP attributes Rahul Gandhi's 'silence' on Captain Smit Machchhar to 'vote bank politics'
Digital Desk | New Delhi, Oct 2 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday lashed out at the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, saying that the latter is silent on the bravery showcased by Flydubai pilot Captain Smit Machchhar due to his compulsion for vote bank politics and disregard for India's honour. Addressing a press conference, BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said: Every Indian and every person of Indian origin across the world is proud that Captain Smit Machchhar prevented a 9/11-style terror attack. The entire world is saluting India and thanking the country for the bravery displayed by Captain Smit Machchhar, who is an Indian. Yet, the Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, who is a public figure and not a private individual, has not said a word in support of Captain Smit Machchhar. He has not posted a single social media post or shared a video message for the pilot or his family, despite regularly speaking on a range of issues on his social media account, Bhandari added. It is not a mere coincidence. Rahul Gandhi's silence on Captain Smit Machchhar, who saved over 170 lives, is driven by a calculated 'vote-bank' compulsion, he claimed. Adding to the criticism, Bhandari said: Rahul Gandhi can express his views separately at INDIA bloc meetings and speak independently on issues concerning vote-bank politics, but he cannot say a single word in support of Captain Smit Machchhar. The BJP leader accused the LoP of following a pattern, saying: Whenever India feels proud as a nation, including for cross border surgical strikes against terrorism like Operation Sindoor, Congress doesn't take part in the celebrations and Rahul Gandhi is silent. He remarked that LoP Gandhi's silence on the Indian pilot's rave act reflects the former's hatred for India and its Constitution, love for his vote bank and disregard for India's growing global respect. Pradeep Bhandari also pointed guns at the other INDIA bloc leaders, including former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The BJP national spokesperson said: Mamata Banerjee and other key leaders of the INDIA bloc, have also remained silent. The INDIA bloc knows that Captain Smit Machchhar brought honour to the country and that he is being discussed across the world. Yet, they (INDIA bloc) are not speaking in his support because they are behaving like vote-bank-driven terror apologists. The terror apologists are silent because they prioritise vote-bank politics over India's pride and honour. There can be no greater hatred or contempt for Indian democracy than what Rahul Gandhi has shown, Bhandari added.
Official says this could create two parallel re-enrolment routes, one through the tribunals and one through Form 6 applications to Electoral Registration Officers
West Bengal FM Swapan Dasgupta calls for scrapping Urban Land Ceiling Act
Finance minister urges organised real estate players to invest in West Bengal, saying land laws and tenancy issues remain impediments to the state's development
CJP launches Jail Bharo agitation at Mumbai's Shivaji Park to demand CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation
Digital Desk | Mumbai, Oct 2 (IANS) The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) on Friday launched its Jail Bharo protest demanding the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, against the backdrop of reports indicating purported internal rifts within the poll panel. Despite heavy police deployment and denial of formal permission to hold the protest at Shivaji Park, thousands of citizens and supporters gathered at the spot, as slogans against the Central government and the ECI rang out. The demonstration, dubbed by organisers as Season 2 of their movement, comes in defiance of a permit denial by Mumbai Police, who deployed heavy security contingents and barricades around the Dadar precinct. The protest witnessed backing from public figures, intellectuals, and prominent Bollywood personalities who gathered to support the cause, emphasising that the right to vote remains fundamental to Indian democracy. Notable attendees included Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah, and Vishal Dadlani. In their remarks on the occasion, the Bollywood personalities reiterated that voting rights are under threat and highlighted the imperative to safeguard democratic institutions. Actor Prakash Raj also extended support through a broadcast visual message urging citizens to protect democratic integrity. Addressing the crowds, CJP founder Abhijit Dipke attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, CEC Gyanesh Kumar, and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, challenging the authorities while formally launching a Jail Bharo call, insisting that peaceful assembly to defend voting rights remains a fundamental constitutional entitlement. He directly challenged the Maharashtra Chief Minister regarding police warnings against unlawful assembly, saying CM Devendra Fadnavis, you spoke about putting us in jail for just 3 days. Had you said 3 months, the whole of Mumbai would have been brought to a complete standstill. Dipke also invoked the legacy of Maharashtras social reformers while rejecting state threats of arrest. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, we have one request for you. You are the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, a state built on a rich heritage. This is the land of Dr B.R. Ambedkar, Mahatma Jyotirao Phule, and Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj. You might have forgotten this legacy, but we have not. Such threats are not how Maharashtra operates. You claimed that protesting would mean going to jail. Does that mean you intend to lock us up? Then lock us all up! Don't just jail us for 3 days; put us away for 3 months. But know this -- the moment I walk out of jail, I will repeat the phrase you once used 'I will return, I will return, I will return', he said. Despite the police presence around Dadar Railway Station and key access points, protesters flooded Gate No. 6 of Shivaji Park carrying national flags and placards featuring satirical memes, popular film dialogues, and sharp slogans aimed at the poll chief. Slogans such as Gyanesh BRO, JUST RESIGN and Gaddaar Gyaanu Must Go resonated across the grounds alongside chants of Chale Jao and Vapas Do. The CJPs central charter submitted during the rally outlines three immediate demands directed at the Union Government and the Election Commission. They include the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accompanied by a formal independent investigation into electoral roll management, an immediate halt to ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) operations, restoration of the January 2025 electoral lists, and a comprehensive audit of recent voter deletions and the repeal of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023, to be replaced by a transparent selection process incorporating multi-partisan and civil society oversight. A parallel counter-demonstration emerged nearby, organised by a group styling itself as Gen Next Mumbai. Holding posters beneath the local statue of Dr Ambedkar, counter-protesters accused the CJP of creating unnecessary public disruption and misrepresenting constitutional processes. Several Shivaji Park residential associations also voiced concerns regarding traffic blockades, noise levels, and security risks in a densely populated residential zone. CJP leadership countered these complaints by claiming political interference aimed at creating artificial local friction against the movement. Mumbai Police personnel, including quick-response units and female police contingents, remain stationed along Cadell Road and Shivaji Park perimeters to prevent violence or movement toward state government offices. While minor scuffles over access barricades were reported, the gathering remained largely peaceful through late afternoon. CJP leaders said that Friday's Mumbai gathering marks the opening leg of a broader national campaign. Parallel drives and state-level rallies are scheduled across West Bengal, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar over the coming weeks, culminating in a planned mass demonstration at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi.
Bengal: Eight Pujas selected for inaugural Durga Puja Adani Preview 2026
Digital Desk | Kolkata, Oct 2 (IANS) Adani Group, this year, is participating in a major way in the forthcoming Durga Puja festival in West Bengal by organising the Durga Puja Adani Preview 2026, a three-night public preview designed to give people the time and space to experience the artistry, craftsmanship and stories behind the celebrations before the city enters the full rhythm of Puja. This year, ahead of the main Puja days, eight of the citys Pujas will come together for the inaugural Durga Puja Adani Preview 2026, and more than 70 artists have registered to participate in the initiative, while over 30,000 visitors have already registered for the preview, said Adani Group on Friday. The eight Pujas were selected independently by a four-member jury comprising Padma Shri award winner, artist-cum-sculptor Paresh Maity; industrialists and art connoisseur, Harshavardhan Neotia; acclaimed architect, Abin Chaudhuri; and Kolkata Restorer and heritage conservationist, Mudar Patherya The selection process was conducted at arms length from Adani, with the jury independently assessing the entries and determining the final selections. Adani had no role in choosing the selected Pujas, said the statement. The selected artists and Puja organisers are Anirban Das of Alipore Sarbojanin Durgotsav, Bhabatosh Sutar of Yuba Sangha, Debasis Barui of Rajdanga Naba Uday Sangha, Eshika Chandra & Deep Das of Barisha Club, Pradip Das - Behala Club Sarbojonin, Purnendu Dey of Rajdanga Amra Kayjan Kalyan Samity, Raju Sarkar of Thakurpur State Bank Park Sarbojanin and Sanatan Dinda of Nalin Sarkar Street Sarbojanin Durgatsob Samity The Preview will take place on October 10, 11 and 12, ahead of the main Puja days, and it will remain open from 6 p.m. to 4 a.m. across all three nights. Entry to the Preview is free with a Preview Pass. Registrations are being accepted, with access subject to capacity and applicable arrangements. The experience has also been designed with senior citizens and persons with disabilities in mind, to make the Preview more accessible, reads the statement. According to it, visitors will have an opportunity to explore the selected Puja installations, discover the art and craftsmanship behind them and understand the stories that shape them ahead of the main Puja period. The Preview is also intended to help guests from outside Bengal engage more deeply with Kolkatas Durga Puja traditions, building greater awareness of its artistic and cultural richness and encouraging them to carry those stories beyond Bengal as informed ambassadors of the experience, the statement added.
Saroj Poddar Group, Keventer launch real estate-focussed AIF, target 400 crore corpus
The category II Alternative Investment Fund, the first AIF launched by a real estate developer from West Bengal, is expandable to 600 crore through a 200 crore greenshoe option
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has made claims regarding Mamata Banerjee's injury during the 2021 elections, alleging it was not genuine. He asserts to have documents showing that her doctors found no fracture. Adhikari revisited the incident, implying that Banerjee inflated her injury for political leverage. This event, occurring during her campaign in Nandigram, significantly influenced her electoral endeavors, exemplifying the fierce rivalry between the BJP and Trinamool Congress.
Adhikari Alleges 'Bhaipo Gang' Link In PA's Murder
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari stated that the CBI has completed 90% of its investigation into the murder of his personal assistant, Chandranath Rath, with only the alleged money trail left to be established. Adhikari claimed the murder involved shooters from Uttar Pradesh, a hirer from Bihar, and a Bhaipo gang in the Rs 2 crore contract money. He urged voters to seek evenge for Rath's death in the Nandigram bypoll.
Eastern Himalayan Dialogue in Kalimpong calls for integrated policy approach on climate, security
Kalimpong: The Eastern Himalayas need an integrated policy approach covering development, climate resilience, security and the aspirations of local communities, participants at the Eastern Himalayan Dialogue 2026 said in Kalimpong, West Bengal. The Dialogue was jointly convened by the Chintan Research Foundation (CRF) and the Eastern Himalayan Centre for Public Policy (EHCPP) under the theme [] The post Eastern Himalayan Dialogue in Kalimpong calls for integrated policy approach on climate, security appeared first on NorthEast Now .
CM Adhikari To Watch India-Brazil Football Match In Kolkata
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari will attend the India-Brazil international football friendly in Kolkata on October 3. The city is preparing for the historic match, with Brazil's five-time world champions having arrived and security measures stepped up.
West Bengal finance minister says Urban Land Act has to go
Swapan Dasgupta highlighted the need to repeal the Urban Land Ceiling Act for development in West Bengal. Developers expressed challenges in acquiring large land parcels due to existing regulations. The local real estate market is expected to thrive with government reforms and improved infrastructure. Kolkata's economic position can facilitate greater investment opportunities and development networks. Overall, sustained demand and rising land prices indicate a promising future for the sector.
Keventer, Saroj Poddar groups launch Rs 400-cr real estate debt fund
Keventer Group and Saroj Poddar Group proudly unveil a Rs 400-crore investment fund tailored for real estate ventures. This fund implements a secured debt financing approach, focusing its efforts on projects within the Delhi-NCR and West Bengal regions. The enthusiastic sponsors, having pledged Rs 80 crore, are optimistic about the fund's prospects, which aims for a substantial gross internal rate of return between 18 and 22 percent.
West Bengals Keventer, Saroj Poddar groups launch 400-cr real estate debt fund
Fund to focus on projects in Delhi-NCR and West Bengal
Buxa Tiger Reserve gets its first tigress from Bihars Valmiki reserve
West Bengal has reintroduced a tigress into Buxa Tiger Reserve after translocating it from Bihars Valmiki Tiger Reserve, with three more tigers expected to be brought in over the next two months. The wider programme aims to rebuild a viable tiger population by improving prey availability, habitats and wildlife corridors while reducing human-wildlife conflict.
West Bengal government raises pay for contractual school education employees from October 2026
The News Mill
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], October 2: For Gulam Ashraf, Chairman and Managing Director of Phonex Group, business growth and social responsibility are closely connected, with the logistics entrepreneur looking to expand the company's operations while increasing its contribution towards education, healthcare, skill development and livelihood opportunities.
Intruder Lynched By Locals In Bengal
A man identified as Gopal Halder was beaten to death by locals in Sonarpur, West Bengal, after he and two accomplices allegedly broke into a house with a firearm. Halder was reportedly an accused in the homeowner's son's murder case from several years ago. Police are investigating the incident.
West Bengal Minister Dilip Ghosh Defends National Security Measures Amid Controversies
Dilip Ghosh addresses various issues, emphasizing the importance of national security and criticizing political opponents in West Bengal. West Bengal Minister Dilip Ghosh Defends National Security Measures Amid Controversies
Digital Desk | New Delhi, Oct 2 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar on Friday hit out at the Opposition over its protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, saying that the Opposition parties were only looking for an excuse in the name of the Election Commission. Reacting to the protest, Rajbhar said, These people are just looking for an excuse in the name of the Election Commission. They should know that in 2019, the Bharatiya Janata Party won 303 seats. After Gyanesh Kumar came, it came down to 240. If there was theft, would it have increased or decreased? He further said, And secondly, before 2014, the entire system was under the control of Congress. So, did Congress get the Election Commission to commit irregularities and make Modi ji the Prime Minister? Rajbhars remarks came amid the Oppositions continued criticism of Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Opposition parties have been demanding his resignation over the issue. Speaking on the Oppositions protest against the CEC, Bihar Minister Ram Kripal Yadav said that the Opposition had no faith in democratic and constitutional institutions. The people in the Opposition have no faith in democracy. They also have no faith in constitutional institutions. These are people who are murderers of democracy and do not believe in the Constitution. The Election Commission is a constitutional institution, and Gyanesh Kumar is heading it, he said. Meanwhile, West Bengal Minister Dilip Ghosh criticised the Congress over the protest. As the winter session of Parliament approaches, Congress MPs sit outside and inside Parliament, basking in the sun. Others also join them. This will continue for a month, two months or even three months during winter, with them sitting in the sun. This is how the Congress conducts its publicity campaigns, Ghosh said. The Opposition parties have been criticising Gyanesh Kumar over the SIR of electoral rolls and demanding his resignation after it was reported by a section of media that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections on at least 14 occasions over 10 months to decisions and orders, some of which they said were issued without their knowledge. The Election Commission, however, has clarified that the three-member Commission had taken all decisions, including those relating to the SIR, unanimously.
Clear skies continue in Delhi; heavy rainfall likely in Arunachal, Kerala
The IMD expects isolated to scattered rainfall over parts of northeast India, Odisha, West Bengal, central India, Maharashtra and the southern peninsula over the coming days.
ON the occasion of the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on 2nd October this year several opposition parties including Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) have launched massive protests across the country demanding resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar who according to the Indian Express expose flagrantly violated the constitutional provisions and rules leading to the appalling erosion of independence of the Election Commission of India for implementing SIR without involving two other Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi. It has resulted in the disenfranchisement of crores of voters across India and the expose revealed the shocking decision of Kumar to include illegally and in an unauthorised manner a provision in Form 6 asking the first time voters, using that Form for getting enrolled in the electoral roll, to mention from the electoral roll of 2002 the names of their parents and or grand parents. Additionally the Indian Express revelations laid bare the manipulation of electoral rolls to add and delete voters centrally at the office of Election Commission of India by employing a software which lawfully should have been operated by Electoral Registration Officers posted in different States of the Indian Union. Such egregious transgressions of CEC Kumar with impunity has erased millions of names from the voters list and overwhelmed people with anxiety and desperation. They apprehend that because of their disenfranchisement they would lose their citizenship and all other rights enshrined in the Constitution assuring them their individual dignity. Specious Grounds For Disenfranchisement It is salutary to note that the aforementioned protests unleashed against Kumar in defence of the right to vote of the citizens has an echo of Mahatma Gandhis 1894 heroic struggle in South Africas Natal province for retaining the voting rights of Indians after the Franchise Law Amendment Bill was introduced in the Natal Assembly to take away their restricted franchise rights on very specious grounds. On December 16, 1895 Mahatma Gandhi in his article Indian Franchise wrote that British authorities asked Indians to prove that they were voters in India so as to be entitled to it in Natal. He then asked, Why such a rule for the poor Indians alone? He added that they would not object to such an arrangement if it were applicable to all including whites who were inhabitants of Natal . He noted that the Europeans would find it difficult to get their names on the Voters List in the Colony under such conditions. Colonial Playbook For Disenfranchisement and SIR That colonial play book of 1894 asking Indians in Natal Province of South Africa to prove that they were voters in India is getting replicated in 2026 SIR mandating that those desirous of getting enrolled in the electoral roll should locate their names in the voter list of 2002. Any attempt to ask Europeans to prove their status as voters in the countries from where they came to Natal, in the words of Gandhi, would be received with the strongest indignation. His utterances are resonating in 2026 when people in India are expressing their indignation because the ECI while implementing SIR asked them to prove their citizenship and eligibility as a voter disregarding their enrolment in earlier electoral rolls and Supreme Court in its May 2026 judgement upheld that ECI can examine citizenship of a voter in a limited way. It is instructive to note that the right to vote in Natal in 1894 was restricted to a few and it was available to those possessing immovable property worth 50 pounds. Yet Gandhi in his July 1894 petition to Lord Rippon, Principal Secretary of State for Colonies, stated that any civilised country would value franchise right as the birth right and the commonest right of a citizen and asserted that disenfranchisement of Indians would subject them to indignity and heap insult to the whole Indian nation. Fast forward to 2026 when 13 crores of voters are now facing disenfranchisement due to SIR. Combine it with Indian Express expose pinning the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar for his deliberate acts of commission and omission in flouting all rules and norms while taking crucial decisions concerning SIR. All such actions removing millions of voters from the electoral roll constitute an insult to the Indian nation and its Constitution which upholds the dignity of an enfranchised country upholding parliamentary democracy. In the aforementioned petition to Lord Rippon, Gandhi wrote that bereft of voting rights Indians would lose, self-respect, to remain in the Colony and that such a thing would materially interfere with their business, and throw hundreds of Her Majestys Indian subjects out of work. Those articulations of Gandhi uttered in echo in Rahul Gandhis assertions during his Vote Adhikar rally in Bihar in September 2025 that Vote Theft meant theft of rights, theft of employment, theft of education, theft of democracy and theft of the future of the youth. In fact many people whose names were removed from the electoral rolls in West Bengal and Bihar following the implementation of SIR are now being deprived of their opportunities to earn their livelihood, their small business establishments getting demolished and even the ration cards issued to them have been withdrawn. What Indians are facing on account of their disenfranchisement in 2026 were predicted by Mahatma Gandhi when voting rights of settlers of India in Natal were taken away by colonial rulers. He, in his article, The Indian Franchise written on December 16, 1895 very emphatically stated, I repeat again, it is not political power that the Indians want. It is degradation, it is many other consequences and measures that will flow from and will be based on the disfranchisement that they dread and resist. Hundred and thirty one years later Indians suffering the process of disenfranchisement on account of SIR are indeed confronting its dreadful consequences and, therefore, on October 2, 2026, on Gandhi Jayanti, country wide protests have been launched to uphold the jurisprudence of universal adult franchise and flag the point that the constitutionally mandated independence of Election Commission of India must be restored and defended to salvage democracy from the onslaught of the powers that be. Communal Grounds for Disenfranchisement The British rulers of Natal employed communal factors in 1894 to disenfranchise Muslims hailing from India. They manufactured the reasoning that mostly Muslims among Indians were more keen to retain their right to vote. Specifically peddling the false argument that overwhelming numbers of Muslims in the voter list would enable them to wield greater political power over Hindus they cautioned the latter to be wary of the former. Mahatma Gandhi in his aforementioned letter to Rippon referred to charges made by British rulers that a few Indians wanted political power and that those few were Mahomedan agitators and so the Hindus should learn from past experience that the Mahomedan rule would be ruinous for them. He remarked that people of both the communities lived amicably in Natal and such attempts to set the Hindus against the Mahomedans would be most mischievous and calamitous causing grievous results which India tragically faced due to divisive British rule. Juxtapose those observations of Gandhi with the SIR produced curated voter list from which more names of Muslim voters have been deleted across the country. In doing so the play book of colonial rulers in employing Hindu-Muslim narrative to disenfranchise voters is being followed by those operating State apparatus of India during 2025-2026 when SIR process is being carried and adverse consequences on the purity and integrity of electoral process are being unmistakably felt. Debunking Ghuspatia Narrative It is rather tragic that the devious strategy of British rulers of Natal describing Indians settled there as intruders and so should be devoid of right to vote has been replicated by the present rulers of India including CEC Gyanesh Kumar who justified SIR on the ground that Ghuspatias (infiltrators) would be removed from the electoral roll. Mahatma Gandhi in his above mentioned article, Indian Franchise, debunked the characterisation of Indians as intruders and charged that even the white rulers coming from Europe would not be spared of the same charge that they intruded to South Africa. A Retrograde Step It is quite significant that Gandhi described Franchise Law Amendment Bill to disenfranchise Indians as a legislative activity, of a retrograde character. Description of the SIR by opposition leaders as a form of Vote Bandi captures Gandhis words retrograde invoked in the context of Franchise Law Amendment Bill of 1894. That retrograde Bill became an Act but due to petitions of Gandhi that Indians were removed from electoral roll on racial grounds, the UK Government disallowed it. But it was then altered and racial element was removed by providing for the disqualifications as voters of all Asiatics as such. That became an Act and Indians lost their voting rights. Gandhi wrote in his petition to Lord Rippon I take the liberty to say that, had not an attempt been made to tread upon their commercial pursuits, had not attempts been made and repeated to degrade them to the condition of pariahs of society, had not, in fact, an attempt been made to keep them for ever hewers of wood and drawers of water, i.e., in a state of indenture or in one very much resembling it, there would have been no franchise agitation. It is indeed tragic that several decades after splendid success of universal adult suffrage in India and an agitation has been launched in defence of the right to vote, that too on the occasion of birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi whose first struggle in South Africa in 1894 was in defence of the voting rights of Indians who were then disenfranchised. Millions of Indians now losing their right to vote and massive erosion of independence and integrity of the Election Commission under the leadership of CEC Gyanesh Kumar is imperilling democracy in India . The struggle of Mahatma Gandhi in South Africa during 1894-95 against disenfranchisement of Indians in South Africa offers valuable lessons to uphold universal adult franchise and the rights of all Indians who are constitutionally mandated to be treated equally regardless of their identities rooted in faith, caste, language or ethnicity for inclusion in voter list. Presumption of Citizenship In his book Satyagraha in South Africa Gandhi wrote, There is always a general presumption in favour of the right of the subject. So long, therefore, as the government of the day does not become positively hostile, the names of Indians and others could be included in the electoral roll, the above law notwithstanding. Those words are assume salience in the context of the protests against mass disenfranchisement on account of SIR and erroneous functioning of CEC Kumar disregarding the general presumption in favour of the rights of the citizens. Therefore, Mahatma Gandhis 1894 struggled for the rights of Indians in Natal to vote is of enduring significance to save the Constitution.
Brazil land in Kolkata for much-anticipated India friendly at Salt Lake Stadium
Brazil's national football team has arrived in Kolkata for an upcoming friendly match against India. The match is scheduled to take place at Salt Lake Stadium on October 3, marking a significant event in Indian football history. Advanced security arrangements are being implemented to prevent issues such as ticket black marketing. The West Bengal government is also upgrading infrastructure, aiming for a World Cup-like experience.
Chhattisgarh & West Bengal Score Easy Wins
Chhattisgarh boys comfortably defeated Manipur 90-50 while Kerala beat Odisha with a 92-74 scoreline.
West Bengal CM Adhikari meets family of girl who died in Rejinagar rally stampede
The News Mill
With over 18,000 pending appeals in 2 seats, SIR spectre looms over Bengal bypolls
Rejoin Cong, lead Bengal unit: Adhirs appeal to Mamata
Indranil Sens record firm paid Rs 30 lakh to ex-CM: ED
Judge cites flydubai cockpit stabbing during airport mosque case hearing
SC seeks Centre, Bengal govt response on Mahua Moitras plea over MPLADS works
The Supreme Court has sought responses from the Centre and West Bengal government on TMC MP Mahua Moitras plea alleging obstruction in implementing works under the MPLADS in her Krishnanagar constituency. A bench of Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana also heard her allegations that her functioning as an MP had been impeded.
ET Graphics: Factory engine revs up jobs and earnings rise
Indias factory workforce crossed 20 million in 2024-25, driven by gains in West Bengal, Telangana, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh and sectors such as food products and electrical equipment. Industrial GVA rose 9.6% to Rs 26.9 lakh crore, while average earnings increased to Rs 3.8 lakh. Productivity edged up to Rs 11 lakh per worker.
Egg Attack On Arrested YouTuber At Court
May Differ With Left Ideologies But Insult Not Okay: BJP Seniors
Clot From Uterine Tumour Moves To Heart, Woman Safe After Op
SRFTI girls film wins laurels at Kerala film festival
West Bengal Government Issues Alert Over Fake Calls Impersonating Governor
The West Bengal government warns citizens about fake calls claiming to be from the governors office and unauthorized use of his image. West Bengal Government Issues Alert Over Fake Calls Impersonating Governor
Newborn With Fluid-Filled Lungs Goes Home After Surgery In Womb
JU starts staff quarters audit
City retail leasing doubles in Q3, high streets lead demand
Revise Ayushman Bharat rate for pacemakers, urge cardiologists
Calcutta High Court to Hear PIL on Egg Pelting Cases November 27
HC sets aside KMC closure order against hotel
Localised showers flood Kolkata pockets
Cops learn lessons from Messi mess, no VIP guard on field for Brazil match
Bengal weighs pooling closed PSUs, sick firms for land bank
West Bengal is preparing to create a land bank from closed Central PSUs, State PSUs, and sick industries. Several parcels of land have been identified, but challenges include legal issues and encroachments. An industrial policy meeting was conducted by a group of ministers led by the industry department. The strategic blueprint, named Project BhoomiShakti, aims to promote investment-ready industrial land.
State health department cancels Avik Des PG seat
Womans threat plaint against delivery man
Special sessions, buddy systems in city schools for mental well-being of students
Knife attack: School suspends class 9 student for a week
Pre-puja cop crackdown on Gariahat parking
Bengal: Judicial panel probes former Trinamool Minister over loan from farm credit society
Digital Desk | Kolkata, Oct 1 (IANS) A judicial inquiry commission constituted by the West Bengal government to investigate alleged institutional corruption during the previous Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress regime has started an investigation against former West Bengal Transport Minister Snehasis Chakraborty. The investigation relates to allegations that, despite not being a farmer, Chakraborty obtained a loan of Rs 85 lakh from an agricultural cooperative society in the state during the previous regime. It is also alleged that he facilitated another loan for one of his relatives from the same agricultural cooperative society by using his influence as a then state Cabinet minister and ruling party legislator. Chakraborty, a three-time Trinamool Congress legislator from the Jangipara Assembly constituency in Hooghly district between 2011 and 2026, was defeated in the Assembly elections earlier this year by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Prosenjit Bag by less than 1,000 votes. He is currently associated with the Ritabrata Banerjee-led rebel but majority faction in Trinamool Congress. Trinamool Congress legislator Kunal Ghosh, from the Beliaghata Assembly constituency in Kolkata, first alleged the loan from the agricultural cooperative society. Kunal Ghosh is associated with the original but minority faction of Trinamool, led by former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee. Kunal Ghosh alleged that although only farmers were eligible to receive loans from agricultural cooperative societies, Chakraborty secured a loan from the Singti Agricultural Cooperative Society by posing as a farmer, violating lending norms. He also questioned whether Chakraborty had been repaying the loan from the Singti Agricultural Cooperative Society. After Kunal Ghosh flagged the issue, society employees Swapan Patra and activist Ramesh Patra were arrested. The state government-appointed judicial panel has now begun investigating the matter. According to sources, the panel will soon collect relevant documents from the cooperative society. On July 14, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the formation of a judicial commission to investigate allegations of institutional corruption during the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government between 2011 and 2026. Former Calcutta High Court judge Justice Biswajit Basu (Retd) heads the commission. A senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer is supervising the investigation. An Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer is handling the commission's administrative work, while a West Bengal Revenue Service officer oversees its technical aspects.
Kolkata airport starts flyer feedback exercise
Mamata Banerjee named in ED statement over probe in money laundering case
Digital Desk | Kolkata, Oct 1 (IANS) Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and ex-Cabinet Minister Indranil Sen had been named by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday in relation to the central probe agency's investigation into a case of money laundering, other than that of Mass Art, which had been accused of selling Durga Puja Preview Show Passes in 2024 and 2025. Sen is already under the ED scanner in connection with the Mass Art case. In this particular case, where both Mamata Banerjee and Sen, a singer-turned-politician, had been named by the ED is in relation to the agency's investigation against Sen's proprietorship concern christened Octave Records. According to a statement issued by ED on Thursday evening, during Sen's tenure as the West Bengal Tourism Minister during the previous Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government, multiple tenders from both the state tourism as well as cultural departments of more than Rs 85 crore, were awarded to the entities owned by Dhrubajyoti Bose and Dipesh Roy, both of whom were close aides of Sen. These entities subsequently transferred large sums of money to entities controlled by relatives of Indranil Sen. Furthermore, massive cash withdrawals have been observed from the bank accounts of the entities that secured these tenders, the ED statement said. In the same statement, the ED claimed that a detailed investigation in the matter had revealed that cash of more than Rs 3.3 crore was deposited into the bank accounts of Sen and his proprietorship entity, Octave Records. Also, from the bank account of Octave Records, a sum of nearly Rs 30 lakh was transferred via banking channels to Mamata Banerjee, the then Chief Minister of West Bengal, which Indranil Sen has claimed was paid in the form of royalty, the ED statement added. According to the central agency, during search and seizure proceedings, incriminating digital devices and documentary evidence were found and seized under appropriate provisions. Further investigation is under progress, the ED statement said. There was no reaction from the faction in Trinamool Congress, which is still loyal to Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee. Sen too had kept himself incommunicado and hence his reactions were also not available in the matter. As regards to the Mass Art case, ED officials on Tuesday conducted a marathon raid and search operation at the residence of Sen and his wife Madhuchhanda Sen at Kasba in South Kolkata. Sen was also questioned for about 10 hours at ED's Salt Lake office in the matter on Wednesday. The singer-turned-politician on Thursday had been served with a fresh notice asking him to be present at ED's Salt Lake office next week for another round of questioning in the matter.
Bengal: Floods disrupt train services on Sahibganj Loop
Digital Desk | Kolkata, Oct 1 (IANS) Train services on the historic Sahibganj Loop, a key rail link connecting West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar, have been severely affected over the past several days after the Ganga eroded the embankment between Sakrigali and Maharajpur stations. The affected stretch forms part of the Sahibganj-Barharwa section of the loop. A large number of personnel are working round the clock at the site to reinforce the embankment with boulders and other materials. While all services on the Down line have been suspended, train movement continues on the Up line under speed restrictions. Eastern Railway (ER) has cancelled several trains and diverted many others. Some trains are also being short-terminated and short-originated. A senior ER official said the situation arose after the water level in the Ganga began rising. At one stage, the river was barely 15 meters from the tracks, and part of the embankment had been eroded. The official said restoration work began after the water receded to a safe distance and that workforce and materials were already in place. This section in Jharkhand forms part of the Sahibganj Loop. Barharwa is a major junction connecting routes towards Sahibganj, Bhagalpur, Rampurhat and Howrah. The Sahibganj Loop holds immense historical significance as part of the original Delhi-Howrah route. The 410-km stretch connects Khana Junction in West Bengal to Kiul Junction in Bihar via Sahibganj. Constructed in the 1860s, it was originally part of the main rail route between Howrah and Delhi. The Railways later built a shorter chord line that could handle higher traffic volumes. That route subsequently became the main line, while the older alignment came to be known as the Sahibganj Loop. The stretch is known for its scenic alignment along the Ganga. However, its proximity to the river has led to operational disruptions during this years floods. Nearly 18 trains, including the Howrah-Sahibganj Intercity Express, have been cancelled. Trains such as the Ballia-Sealdah Express and the Kathgodam-Howrah Bagh Express have been diverted via Munger, Bhagalpur, Banka, Deoghar and the Jasidih Bypass. The Delhi-Kamakhya Brahmaputra Mail and the 15734 Bhatinda-Balurghat Farakka Express will be diverted via Jamalpur, Munger and Katihar. The Gaya-Howrah Express will operate through Kiul, Jhajha and Asansol. The Bhagalpur-Ranchi Vananchal Express and the 13072 Jamalpur-Howrah Express will be diverted via Bhagalpur, Dumka and Rampurhat. If the weather remains favourable, restoration work will be completed soon, and services will return to normal after the necessary clearances, an official said.
KMC to hold camps to bring govt services to citizens doorsteps
We Will Accept Her Leadership: Adhir Invites Mamata Banerjee To Rejoin Congress With TMC MLAs, MPs
A day after Mamata Banerjee attended the INDIA bloc meeting in Delhi, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury urged the TMC supremo to rejoin the Congress along with the partys remaining MLAs and MPs. Chowdhury said the Congress would accept Mamatas leadership in West Bengal, but suggested she leave behind her baggage, an apparent reference to her nephew and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. He also appealed to the Congress high command to facilitate a possible merger and urged Mamata to support the Congress candidate in the upcoming Rejinagar assembly bypoll as a friendly gesture. Mamata had earlier asserted that the INDIA bloc remained united and demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The remarks come amid reported organisational challenges facing the TMC in West Bengal.
Indranil Sens firm sent nearly Rs 30 lakh to Mamata Benerjee, ED says; ex-minister claims royalty
Bengal GoM clears industrial policy to boost investment
Bengal plans annual TET, syllabus to fit 200-210 teaching days
Eight BJP supporters injured in North 24-Parganas bomb attack
Govt plans Rs 2,500 crore direct infra investment in Bengal tourism sector
The West Bengal government is set to invest over Rs 2,500 crore in tourism infrastructure. Tourism Minister Shankar Ghosh highlighted this investment during the ICC Hospitality and Tourism Summit. The initiative aims to make various destinations across Bengal accessible to international tourists. Additionally, the government plans to establish a hospitality institute to develop local manpower for the sector.
Snehasish Chakraborty faces probe over Rs 1 crore loan irregularities
Bengal govt plans major Mayapur development project
State eyes Rs 2,500cr investment to boost tourism infra
State transfers 1,177 acres to BSF for Bangla border fencing
HC extends interim protection to Mahua Moitra
Mamata Banerjee accuses BJP of 'hooliganism' outside her Kolkata residence
Digital Desk | New Delhi, Oct 1 (IANS) Trinamool Congress leader and former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday alleged that goons linked to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) engage in hooliganism outside her Kolkata residence while claiming police inaction in atrocities in the state. Addressing a press conference here, Banerjee said: Police officers are knocking on the doors of my party leaders, warning them to join the rival faction or go to jail...terrible atrocities are going on in Bengal. I am not allowed to move out of my house without court orders. More than 70 people have been murdered, more than 45 rapes have taken place, including of girl children and 'adivasis'...but police are not taking any cognisance, she added. Referring to attacks on the vehicles of her Trinamool faction leaders, the former CM asked: Have you ever heard leaders of the ruling party being attacked? Local police stations in Bengal have become BJP's block office and the headquarters of District officers have been converted to their 'Zilla office'. The police headquarters have become their state Committee office, she alleged. Further, Banerjee claimed that security has been withdrawn by the BJP government from her residence. Now they are lying that I am availing Z plus security. On the instructions of the present government, 200-300 hooligans are engaging in hooliganism in front of my house...even women are not safe, she alleged. People are unable to open their shops now. Kolkata used to be so lively; now there are no people on roads after 8 pm...hawkers are homeless, their livelihoods have been snatched. In fact, people linked to the BJP are even looting the donation boxes at temples, calling it their property, she alleged. MoreoverBanerjee claimed that during the Assembly polls in West Bengal, security personnel went door to door, threatened people against voting for the Trinamool Congress; CRPF personnel were also involved. War vehicles which are used in Kashmir, have been used by BJP leaders for campaigning. Is this a mockery of democracy? People cannot be treated like this, she asserted. Meanwhile, Mamata All India Trinamool Congress (MAITC) MP Abhishek Banerjee, who was also present at the press conference, asked why the BJP is responding to the questions being raised at the ECI. Referring to the NCPI seeking Bharat Ratna for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, he retorted: If he can be given 'Bharat Ratna' for 'vote chori', then please reward him. Reiterating the former Chief Minister's allegations that the number of voter deletions is more than the winning margin in many constituencies in the state, Abhishek Banerjee said: We received many such reports where the serial numbers of EVMs control unit and balloting unit at the counting centre did not match with what was recorded in Form 17C. Further, he claimed that several MLAs and leaders of Mamata Banerjee's faction are still languishing in jails, as they didn't join the dishonest group.
ED summons Indranil Sen again in Durga Puja money laundering probe
Digital Desk | Kolkata, Oct 1 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday issued a fresh notice to former West Bengal Tourism Minister Indranil Sen for a second round of interrogation at the EDs Salt Lake office on the northern outskirts of Kolkata next week in connection with a money laundering case. The ED officials had already questioned Sen, a singer-turned-politician, on Wednesday for a marathon 10-hour session at the EDs Salt Lake office in connection with the same case. Earlier, on Tuesday, a team of ED officials conducted extensive raid and search operations at Sens residence in Kasba in south Kolkata in the same matter. On Tuesday, ED officials also conducted raids and search operations at nine other locations in Kolkata in the same matter, including the residences of Sens relatives and the residence of event manager Arijit Dasgupta. The assets, properties and bank accounts of Sen and his wife, Madhuchhanda Sen, are also under the scanner of ED investigating officials in the matter. The main charge against Sen and his wife is the alleged sale of fake passes in the name of Durga Puja tours using the UNESCO tag. It is initially estimated that around Rs 60 crore was involved. The ED began its investigation based on a complaint lodged by Joydeep Mukherjee, an alleged victim of fraud, at Bowbazar Police Station in June. However, Sen has denied all the allegations since the beginning. UNESCO recognised Kolkatas Durga Puja in 2021. Thereafter, an organisation called Mass Art was formed, claiming to be UNESCOs official partner. The organisation started promoting Durga Puja, and the sale of passes for Durga Puja parikrama began. However, according to the allegations, those passes, sold at high prices, were fake. Sens wife, Madhuchhanda, was closely associated with the organisation. Entry passes, or tickets, were allegedly sold at high prices by illegally using the UNESCO name and logo in the name of preview shows or Durga Puja parikrama tours of Kolkatas Durga Pujas. According to the allegations, around Rs 60 crore was misappropriated. It is further learned that passes for about 24 Durga Puja preview shows in Kolkata were sold at high prices. In some cases, these passes ranged from Rs 1,749 to Rs 5,499. The entity reportedly claimed that UNESCO had selected those 24 puja pandals. However, sources familiar with the development have found no evidence to support that claim so far. It is alleged that funds were embezzled in the name of preview show passes. An initial investigation found that about 19,000 people registered to receive these passes in 2022, 34,000 in 2023, and 61,000 in 2024. Sources familiar with the development said the entity planned to organise preview shows for the forthcoming Durga Puja this month and had even issued an advertisement on its website for that purpose. However, those plans were cancelled immediately after the ED started its investigation into the matter.
125-room Gateway hotel to come up in Siliguri
Kunal gives statement to police, no arrests yet in attack case
Times School Survey West Bengal 2026: Celebrating quality and shaping the future of education
33 injured as sleeper bus overturns on Srinagar-Jammu highway
Digital Desk | Jammu, Oct 1 (IANS) At least 33 passengers were injured as a West Bengal-registered sleeper bus travelling from Srinagar to Jammu overturned on the national highway in J&K's Ramban district on Thursday, officials said. The West Bengal-registered sleeper bus overturned inside a tunnel near Maroog on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH 44). The injured passengers were shifted to District Hospital Ramban with the assistance of police, State Disaster Response Force, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Army personnel and Civil Quick Response Team volunteers. Nine of the injured were referred to Government Medical College (GMC) Hospital in Jammu city for further treatment. Traffic officials said the West Bengal-registered sleeper bus had 55 passengers on board when the accident occurred. Following the accident, a single carriageway has been opened in the affected tunnel to facilitate movement of traffic, officials said. Senior officials are present at the spot and supervising the rescue and traffic management operations. Accidents on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway are primarily caused by a combination of treacherous geography, ongoing infrastructure modifications, and human error. This high-risk mountain highway serves as the vital lifeline connecting Kashmir to the rest of the country, but its unique vulnerabilities make it highly prone to recurring, fatal crashes. According to reports from the J&K Traffic Police Department and traffic experts, the primary causes of accidents on this highway include treacherous terrain and natural hazards. A major portion of the highway cuts through highly unstable, rocky mountains. The stretch from Ramban to Banihal is notably hazardous. Frequent landslides, shooting stones, and patches of sinking roadbed make the corridor highly volatile and unpredictable. Heavy rainfall and flash floods cause mudslides and water accumulation, leaving the tarmac slick and hazardous. Traffic experts frequently point to sub-optimal road design and engineering flaws on dangerous curves and drops. Ongoing road-widening projects have intentionally cut into slopes, destabilising parts of the mountainside, and creating blind spots, detours, and sudden bottlenecks.
Kolkata retail leasing doubles in Q3, high streets lead demand
Srinagar-Jammu highway accident: 33 injured after sleeper bus overturns
At least 33 passengers were injured after a West Bengal-registered sleeper bus carrying 55 people overturned inside a tunnel near Maroog in Ramban. Nine injured passengers were referred to GMC Jammu, while rescue teams and officials managed relief and traffic movement
Primary teacher recruitment to be completed soon: Bengal Education Minister
Digital Desk | Kolkata, Oct 1 (IANS) State School Education Minister Deepak Barman on Thursday said the stalled primary school teacher recruitment process would be completed soon. He made the remarks at a press conference at Bikash Bhaban. The Minister also said the next recruitment process would begin once the current process was completed. He said, The Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) will be held every year like Durga Puja, Lakshmi Puja and Saraswati Puja. The last Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) for recruiting primary school teachers was held in 2022. That recruitment process has not yet been completed. Under pressure from several movements, the Trinamool Congress government published the recruitment notification for candidates who passed the TET in 2022 on September 25, 2025. However, even after a year, the recruitment process could not be started. After the notification was published in September 2025, interviews started on December 31. District-wise interviews began in phases from December last year to recruit 13,421 people. The first four rounds of interviews were conducted. Thereafter, on February 27, the West Bengal Board of Primary Education (WBBPE) issued a notification, and interviews for Nadia, Purulia, Bankura, Alipurduar, South Dinajpur, Malda, West Burdwan and Birbhum districts started in the fifth to tenth phases. Meanwhile, interviews for Nadia district in the fifth phase ended on March 19. Although interviews for Purulia district in the sixth phase started on March 23, the Assembly election schedule had already been announced. As a result, questions arose over whether interviews could be conducted during that period. Subsequently, in April, the WBBPE said the Election Commission had written to the School Education Department on March 27 seeking information on the interview process for recruiting primary school teachers. That letter reached the board on March 30, and the board provided the details on the same day. It also explained that the interview process continued even after the election had been announced. However, the primary education board suspended the interview process on April 1. Thereafter, the Assembly elections were held, and a new government was formed. However, the interviews have not resumed yet, triggering fresh debate. When asked about the issue, the Minister said the primary recruitment process underway would be completed quickly and that the government would move on to the next recruitment exercise. Once this recruitment is completed, the TET will be held again based on the vacancies that are created. I have said many times, and I am saying again, TET will be held every year like Durga Puja, Lakshmi Puja and Saraswati Puja, he said. Meanwhile, the State Minister said mid-day meals should not be discontinued in any school in the state. A few days ago, reports emerged that mid-day meals had been stopped at a school in the Garia area on the outskirts of Kolkata. Allegations suggested the scheme had been halted due to a lack of funds. Thereafter, the administration intervened and immediately arranged mid-day meals through the district administration. However, several schools in the state still face allegations of various problems related to mid-day meals. Deepak Barman said, We have allocated the funds. The West Bengal government is giving great importance to the PM Poshan scheme.
Bengal Police reach Delhi to question woman posing as PMO official
Digital Desk | Kolkata, Oct 1 (IANS) A special team of investigators from Howrah City Police, which comes under the West Bengal Police, reached Delhi on Thursday to question a woman who entered the state secretariat, Nabanna, in Mandirtala in Kolkata, posing as an official from the Prime Ministers Office (PMO). An insider from the state police said the officers first received information on Wednesday evening about the womans location in Delhi. Thereafter, Howrah City Police officers contacted their counterparts in Delhi Police and reached the national capital on Wednesday night. As per the latest information available, the woman is currently under detention by Delhi Police, and the investigating officers from Howrah City Police are interrogating her. The investigating officers are trying to ascertain the exact motive behind her entering the state secretariat while posing as a PMO official. The Howrah City Police officers are also trying to gather information on whether the woman was part of an organised gang, the state police officer said. The woman, identified as Akanksha Vidyarthi, visited the State Public Works Department (PWD), housed at Nabanna, on Wednesday after seeking a prior appointment. She allegedly posed as a PMO official and asked PWD officials questions about the department's functioning. However, a section of the PWD officials became suspicious of her identity. Sensing the officials suspicion, the woman quickly left the Nabanna premises, the state police officer said. After confirming that she had provided a false identity, the PWD filed a written complaint with Howrah City Police. By then, she had flown back to Delhi. The officer said Howrah City Police began an investigation and, after confirming her location in Delhi, a team reached the national capital on Wednesday night. He also said the investigating officers were not taking the matter lightly and suspected that some organised gang might be behind the woman.
CEC's resignation, SIR freeze among demands as Dipke announces Mumbai protest
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said protests would also be organised in Goa, Karnataka, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand. If Kumar does not resign, Dipke said a further protest would be held at Jantar Mantar in Delhi from the end of October
Akhilesh Yadav keeps on changing PDA formula: O.P. Rajbhar on SP's Rajya Sabha nominations
Digital Desk | Lucknow, Oct 1 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Minister and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) President Om Prakash Rajbhar said on Thursday that Samajwadi Party (SP) Chief Akhilesh Yadav was changing the framework for PDA (Pichhda, Dalits and Alpsankhyak) repeatedly. Rajbhar was referring to two candidates placed by the Samajwadi Party for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh. Pichda, Dalit, and Alpsankhyak (backward classes, Dalits, and minorities/Muslims) is a political acronym and social coalition floated by Akhilesh Yadav. Akhilesh Yadav keeps changing the PDA formula from time to time. Yesterday, he came up with the formula of a PDA family. 'P' now stands for 'Parivaar', Rajbhar said, referring to Ram Gopal Yadav. On Wednesday, SP leaders Ram Gopal Yadav and Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani filed their nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh. SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav and senior party leader Shivpal Yadav were present when the two candidates filed their nominations. Incidentally, Ram Gopal Yadav is the late Mulayam Singh Yadavs cousin and uncle to current Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav. 'D' stands for the 'Daulat', referring to Dhani Ram, who is affluent, Rajbhar said. Now, only 'A' remains, and he will bring in some criminal to represent it. The new PDA formula stands for 'Parivaar', 'Daulat' and 'Apradhi', he added. Coming heavily on Akhilesh Yadav and Samajwadi Party, Rajbhar said that Akhilesh Yadav has insulted the Muslim leaders of his party. To the Muslim leaders of his party -- Loaders not leaders of the Samajwadi Party -- Akhilesh ji has thrown a shoe at them, the SBSP Chief added. Taking a jibe at Akhilesh Yadav being indirectly connected to the Bharatiya Janata Party, Rajbhar claimed that the SP Chief has threatened his leaders that if they say anything they will be ousted from the party. If the father (Akhilesh Yadav) is a BJP's Rajya Sabha MP then the son (Akhilesh Yadav) will be too, the SBSP Chief told IANS. The SP had earlier announced Ram Gopal Yadav and Dhanraj Nathwani as its nominees for the Upper House from Uttar Pradesh. Their candidature comes ahead of the biennial elections for 10 Rajya Sabha seats in the state. Uttar Pradesh Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar criticised the SP's candidate selection and took a jibe at Akhilesh Yadav's PDA strategy. Earlier too, on social media, Rajbhar questioned whether the SP's proposed candidates would represent its PDA formula, referring to the party's emphasis on backward classes, Dalits and minorities. Akhilesh ji, I have heard that you are going to field three candidates for the Rajya Sabha. Tell me, will all three be from your PDA or not? Rajbhar said. He referred to Ram Gopal Yadav as the first candidate and questioned how the remaining positions would fit into the PDA framework. He also alleged that the SP's approach could involve promoting family members, wealthy individuals and people facing criminal allegations. Rajbhar said that members of backward classes, Dalit communities and Muslim communities would want clarity on the party's strategy for sending candidates to the Upper House. He also advised Akhilesh Yadav not to risk securing two Rajya Sabha seats by attempting to win a third. The Election Commission had announced on September 22 that elections for 11 Rajya Sabha seats -- 10 from Uttar Pradesh and one from Uttarakhand -- would be held on October 16. The terms of the sitting members representing these seats are scheduled to end on November 25. The poll panel has also announced a bye-election for a Rajya Sabha seat in West Bengal. The upcoming elections will determine the new members for the seats falling vacant upon the completion of the current members' terms.
New liquor shops to keep 500-metre distance from schools, religious sites in West Bengal
West Bengal has tightened the norms for opening new retail liquor outlets, increasing the minimum distance from schools, colleges and religious institutions to 500 metres in municipal areas and 1 km in other locations. The earlier limit was 300 metres. The revised rule will apply only to new outlets, leaving existing liquor shops unaffected.
Raids 16 Locations In Assam, West Bengal Over Areca Nut Smuggling Case
Guwahati, Oct 1: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out extensive raids across Assam and West Bengal on Thursday as part of a money laundering probe linked to a syndicate accused of smuggling foreign-origin areca nut into India through the Myanmar border. Officials stated that the network allegedly imported Indonesian and Thai areca nut via... The post Raids 16 Locations In Assam, West Bengal Over Areca Nut Smuggling Case first appeared on Northeast Today .
Durga Puja 2026: Kolkata's Ultimate Pandal-Hopping, Food and Shopping Guide with inDrive
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], October 1: Durga Puja turns Kolkata into a city that never quite stops moving. From the first shopping trip for new clothes to the last plate of biryani after the final pandal on Dashami night, the festival is really one long, joyful itinerary and half the fun is figuring out where to go next. Here's a starter guide to celebrating Puja like a true Kolkatan this year: the pandals, the food, the shopping, the age-old North-versus-South debate, and a few tips on getting around without the stress.
Sleeper Bus Overturns on Jammu-Srinagar Highway, 25 Injured
SRINAGAR: Around 25 passengers sustained minor injuries after a West Bengal-registered sleeper bus overturned in the down tube near Maroog on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) in Ramban district on Thursday. Police said the injured passengers were shifted to District Hospital Ramban for treatment with the assistance of personnel from the police, State Disaster Response []
33 Tourists Injured As Sleeper Bus Turns Turtle On Jammu-Srinagar Highway
RAMBAN, Oct 1: At least 33 tourists from West Bengal were injured after a sleeper bus turned turtle on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway in Ramban district on Thursday. The ill-fated bus, bearing registration number WB39K-2929, was travelling from Srinagar to Jammu when the accident occurred. Soon after the mishap, local residents and police personnel launched [] The post 33 Tourists Injured As Sleeper Bus Turns Turtle On Jammu-Srinagar Highway appeared first on Northlines .
CJP's protest to last until Gyanesh Kumar resigns, says Abhijeet Dipke
The Cockroach Janta Party, led by Abhijeet Dipke, is initiating nationwide protests starting on October 2. The protests aim to pressure Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign from his position. Dipke has openly criticized the Election Commission's handling of electoral rolls and expressed discontent with the Supreme Court's previous decisions. He voiced concerns regarding the court's treatment of voters in West Bengal during elections.
The Cockroach Janta Party, led by Abhijeet Dipke, is initiating nationwide protests starting on October 2. The protests aim to pressure Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign from his position. Dipke has openly criticized the Election Commission's handling of electoral rolls and expressed discontent with the Supreme Court's previous decisions. He voiced concerns regarding the court's treatment of voters in West Bengal during elections.
West Bengals government has secured approval for a significant bridge project over the Teesta River, enhancing regional connectivity. West Bengal Approves 1,175.59 Crore Teesta River Bridge Project
Sonia Gandhi And Mamata Banerjee Share Light Moment At INDIA Bloc Meet
When the INDIA bloc leaders met on Wednesday to discuss action against Election Commission and its chief Gyanesh Kumar, a moment of bonhomie between Sonia Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee stood out.As the former West Bengal chief minister addressed the press conference, appealing to NGOs, students, youth, women, civil society and journalists to support the oppositions campaign, Sonia, siting besides her, could be seen all smiles and all support for Didi's aggressive assertions.
SC seeks response from West Bengal, others on TMC MP's plea alleging eviction from circuit house
The Supreme court directed the West Bengal governmnet and other to file responses to TMC MP Mahua Moitra's plea alleging that district administration officials in Nadia had evicted her from a circuit house even thought she was allotted a room at the state-owned property. The bench said that responses be filed within a week and the petitioner may file rejoinder within one week thereafter. The Krishnanagar MP had also threatened to move court over the alleged harassment.
Supreme Court declines to interfere with freezing of Trinamool Congress
The Supreme Court on Thursday declined to entertain a plea filed by the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) challenging the freezing of four of its bank accounts by the West Bengal Police following a complaint by a member of the partys rebel faction. A Bench of Justice MM Sundresh and Justice PB Varale refrained from [] The post Supreme Court declines to interfere with freezing of Trinamool Congresss four bank accounts appeared first on India Legal .
