Page 9 - West Bengal

Two new fast interceptor crafts to be inducted in Navy's Bengal area

Two new fast interceptor crafts will be inducted in the Indian Navy's Bengal area, taking its total fleet strength at Kolkata to eight, a top official said on Friday. For any other effort necessary in the coastline or in the shores of West Bengal, he said that surface ships or naval aircrafts are brought in from Visakhapatnam, the Eastern Naval Command headquarters. "The Navy has two fast interceptor crafts, which have been recently inducted and we hope that two more will join in the future," Naval Officer-in-Charge (NOIC) Commodore Rituraj Sahu said at a press conference at INS Netaji Subhas, the Navy's Bengal area base headquarters here. Sahu said the Navy's Bengal area has four more capable patrol crafts in Kolkata. The 51st Indian Navy Day will be celebrated on December 4 to commemorate the audacious and devastating attack carried out by the Indian Naval forces' missile boats on Pakistan naval warships, and Karachi port on that date in 1971 under Operation Trident'. "The succe

SSC posts list of 183 'ineligible' candidates appointed as teachers

The West Bengal Central School Service Commission has posted on its website a list of 183 candidates, who did not qualify in the 2016 examination, but still figured in the merit list and were appointed in educational institutions. A statement by the commission on Thursday said the notice for publication "of 183 wrongly recommended candidates in connection with 1st State Level Selection Test 2016 for the posts of Assistant Teachers for classes 9 and 10 published in compliance with the order of Hon'ble Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay, High Court, Calcutta." is being posted. No official of West Bengal Central SSC was available for comment on the move. The SSC move followed shock expressed by Calcutta High Court Judge Abhijit Ganguly recently over reports of ineligible candidates working in state-run and state-aided schools. The BJP and CPI(M) took a dig at the state government saying this is the tip of the iceberg and skeletons are already tumbling out of cupboard. BJP leader Rahul Sin

Not a single power plant in Bengal implemented emission standards: Report

The CREA report has also pointed out that as the state's reliance on dirty coal energy has continued, the phenomenon has pushed the population of the state towards severe health hazards

West Bengal govt orders CID probe into DElEd question paper leak case

The West Bengal government on Tuesday ordered a probe by state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) into the alleged Diploma in Elementary Education (DElEd) paper leak, a senior official said. "The CID has been asked to probe the DElEd paper leak and file the report quickly," the official told PTI. Allegations were levelled that the paper was leaked around an hour-and-a-half before the examination started on Monday.

Amit Shah likely to visit Kolkata on Dec 17 to attend security meet

Political observers feel that the meeting and more specially the Union home minister's visit to the state to attend it is expected to be crucial on various counts

4 injured in bomb blast, BJP hits out at Trinamool Congress in West Bengal

Four people were injured after several bombs exploded at the Jagaddal area in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district, reportedly over the issue of high volume of a loudspeaker, the police said

Cal HC seeks BCI's reply on mother's identification for advocate enrollment

The Calcutta High Court has sought response of the Bar Council of India and its West Bengal counterpart on a prayer that enrolment application forms for advocates should also include space for information relating to mothers in addition to that of father and husband. Petitioner Mrinalini Majumdar, an advocate, claimed in the PIL that forms for enrolment and identity cards of the State Bar Council of West Bengal continue to depict an "overpowering streak of patriarchy". The petitioner claimed that forms for enrolment and identity cards issued by the Bar Council do not contain any column for mentioning particulars of mothers. A division bench presided by Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava directed the Bar Council to file an affidavit-in-opposition within four weeks. In its order earlier this week, the court said the State Bar Council of West Bengal, which is also a respondent in the petition, may file its affidavit within the same period, while the petitioner may file reply to these i

ED summons daughter of TMC's Anubrata Mondal in Delhi on December 1

The ED has summoned Sukanya Mondal, daughter of Trinamool Congress strongman Anubrata Mondal to New Delhi for questioning in connection with the multi- crore cattle smuggling scam in West Bengal

Suvendu Adhikari dares CM Mamata to stop CAA implementation in West Bengal

Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, on Saturday dared Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to stop implementation of the CAA in the state. During a meeting in North 24 Parganas district's Thakurnagar, an area dominated by the Matuas whose roots are in Bangladesh, Adhikari said the "CAA Act does not suggest that the citizenship of anyone will be taken away if one is a bonafide resident with legal documents". "We have talked about the CAA several times. The Citizenship Amendment Act will be rolled out in the state. If you have guts, stop it from being enforced," the Nandigram MLA said in an apparent reference to the chief minister. The CAA facilitates the grant of citizenship to migrants belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan. But as the rules under the Act have not been framed by the government yet, no one so far could be granted citizenship under it. "Matua community members will als

Bengal to get unimaginable investment' if BJP comes to power, claims Mithun

Actor-turned-politician Mithun Chakraborty on Saturday claimed that there will be unimaginable investment' in West Bengal if the BJP comes to power in the state. All major parties should join hands to defeat the Trinamool Congress, said Chakraborty who joined the BJP ahead of the assembly elections in the state last year. "An unimaginable investment will come to West Bengal once the BJP is elected to power. You can't believe how much development will take place. Wait for those days," he told reporters at Bishpur town in Bankura district. The investment scenario in West Bengal is dismal now and youths are migrating, claimed the filmstar who was inducted into the state BJP's core committee during a reshuffle last month. "The swelling public anger against the inefficient TMC will end its rule and the BJP will come to power," said Chakraborty who was in Bishnupur in the run-up to the panchayat polls due next year. The 72-year-old actor has been campaigning for panchayat polls in the s

'Are names that important?' Mamata as BJP MLAs skip assembly event

Inaugurating the annex building of the West Bengal assembly on Friday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she would have been happier if MLAs of the opposition BJP would have attended the function. Banerjee wanted to know from Speaker Biman Bandyopadhyay, who was seated near her, if he had extended an invitation to the opposition MLAs. The speaker replied in the affirmative but said the invite did not mention individual names. To this, Banerjee remarked, "Is mentioning of names that important?" "In the House, the speaker is important. If the speaker sends a letter, that is important. Anyways, I don't have any role in this matter, it is up to them," she added. None of the BJP MLAs, including Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, were present at the function, which was attended by TMC MLAs, including chief whip Nirmal Ghosh, and TMC MP Kalyan Bandyopadhyay, among others. Earlier in the day, Banerjee held a "courtesy meeting" with Adhikari at her office in the assembly. The meetin

Compensation being doled out to people displaced after WB Metro work fiasco

Residents and shop owners, who were recently displaced in Bowbazar here after several buildings developed cracks during work in the East-West Metro tunnel, have begun receiving compensation for the loss suffered, a senior official of the project's executing agency said on Friday. As many as 194 people had to be evacuated from the central Kolkata locality after underground water seepage caused cracks in 12 buildings at Madan Dutta Lane there on October 14. Compensation cheques were handed over to 11 families and six shop owners on Thursday after verification of claims, the official of Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC) said. "Each of the 11 families received a cheque of Rs 5 lakh, while the compensation to the shop owners varied between Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh," he said. KMRC has shifted 25 families to hotels following the mishap in October, the third such incident due to the Metro corridor work, while six shops also had to be closed. Earlier, on August 31, 2019, a tunnel borin

Bengal CM Mamata meets BJP's Suvendu over tea at her Assembly chamber

In a first since last year's state elections, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday held a "courtesy meeting" with Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari at her chamber in the state Assembly, raising eyebrows in political circles. Later, during a discussion on 'Constitution Day' in the House, the CM said that she had at one point adored him like a brother. Adhikari and Banerjee had been at loggerheads since the end of 2020 when he switched over to the BJP from the TMC and defeated the TMC supremo in Nandigram in the Assembly polls. The meeting came close on the heels of Adhikari complaining that his name was not included in the invitation letter for the 'Constitution Day' programme in the Assembly. The BJP leader had also said that he would "boycott" the programme. The Nandigram MLA was seen entering Banerjee's chamber accompanied by BJP leaders Manoj Tigga and Agnimitra Paul, shortly after the assembly session broke for recess in the afternoon. "I called Suvend

SC stays Calcutta HC order of CBI probe WBSSC teachers' recruitment scam

The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the Calcutta High Court orders directing CBI investigation into filing of an application by the West Bengal Central School Service Commission (SSC) in a case related to the teachers' recruitment scam. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice Hima Kohli also stayed the part of the order by which the single-judge bench of the high court had summoned West Bengal Principal Secretary Manish Jain before it Friday in relation to the filing of the fresh application by the West Bengal Central SSC. "Presently, when I am arguing here, the principal secretary is in the dock before the high court," senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for the state government, told the bench. "There shall be a stay on the high court orders," the CJI said and listed the plea of the state government after three weeks. On November 23, the high court had ordered the CBI probe into filing of a benami application' and had asked the central agency to investigate

Might advise ECI to cancel recognition of Trinamool: Calcutta HC judge

Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay of the Calcutta High Court said he might have to ask the election commission to cancel Trinamool's recognition as a political party and withdraw its logo

West Bengal recruitment scam: SC stays Calcutta HC order of CBI probe

The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the Calcutta High Court orders directing CBI investigation into filing of an application by the West Bengal Central School Service Commission (SSC) in a case related to the teachers' recruitment scam. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice Hima Kohli also stayed the part of the order by which the single-judge bench of the high court had summoned West Bengal Principal Secretary Manish Jain before it Friday in relation to the filing of the fresh application by the West Bengal Central SSC. "Presently, when I am arguing here, the principal secretary is in the dock before the high court," senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for the state government, told the bench. "There shall be a stay on the high court orders," the CJI said and listed the plea of the state government after three weeks. On November 23, the high court had ordered the CBI probe into filing of a benami application' and had asked the central agency to investigate

WBSSC scam: Bengal govt moves SC against HC decision for fresh CBI probe

Bengal govt has moved Supreme Court challenging the Calcutta High Court allowing fresh CBI probe to identify the people trying to influence the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC)

Former Bengal minister criticise Centre for rising exports from China

In the backdrop of China's rising exports to India, former West Bengal finance minister Amit Mitra Thursday took a dig at the Centre's dependence on trade with that country and termed it as a threat to the nation's security. Mitra, who is currently the principal chief adviser to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, predicted that India's dependence on imports from China is set to double that of 2014. "The dependence of India on China will widen Chinese premier Xi Jinping's Mona Lisa smile in the coming G20 summit in New Delhi September next year''. Chinese exports to India has witnessed a rise of about 31 per cent. "Modi regime's 'China nirbhar' (dependence on China) is a threat to India's national security. India's dependence on imports from China is set to double since 2014 ($60 billion to $120 billion in 2022). Now you can read more into Xi's 'Mona Lisa 'smile' at Modi at G-20," Mitra tweeted. India and China's bilateral trade has continued to boom despite tension on

New Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose may visit Delhi on Thursday, meet Shah

New Governor of West Bengal C V Ananda Bose is likely to fly to New Delhi on Thursday, where he could meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah, as part of a protocol visit, a Raj Bhavan source said. Bose is expected to be on a four-day tour to the national capital, though nothing has been finalised yet, he said. "This is a protocol visit. Soon after taking oath, a governor is supposed to meet the home minister, the source said. Bose on Wednesday took oath as the new governor of West Bengal. He was administered the oath of office by Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court Prakash Shrivastava in the presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Speaker Biman Banerjee at a programme in Raj Bhavan.

Ensure your name on voter list to avoid detention under garb of NRC: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday asked people of the state to ensure that their names are on the electoral roll to avoid getting sent to detention camps under the garb of enforcing NRC. She was addressing a programme organised by the state government to distribute land pattas' (documents) to marginalised families from all districts. Ensure your name is there on the voter list, or else, you will be sent to detention camps in the name of NRC. It's a shame, shame and shame, Banerjee said. Referring to incidents of "forcible takeover of land by the railway and airport authorities", Banerjee said, No eviction will be allowed in Bengal without proper compensation and rehabilitation. At the public function, she asked people to start protests if your land is forcibly taken and the state will be with you. She accused the Centre of not releasing funds for 100-day work. Without naming the BJP, she said the central government is running on the party's instruction. Ba