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TMC counters cops over ‘linguistic terror', brings migrant family to Bengal

TMC counters cops over ‘linguistic terror', brings migrant family to Bengal

NEW DELHI: A day after the Delhi Police dismissed a viral video shared by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as 'baseless and fabricated,' the Trinamool Congress (TMC) presented the migrant family featured in the video at its Kolkata office on Monday to counter the narrative.
The family, originally from Malda and residing in Delhi for over two decades, appeared at a press conference alongside TMC leaders including MPs Mausam Noor and Samirul Islam, Minister Firhad Hakim, and spokesperson Kunal Ghosh. The woman in the video, Sajnur Parveen, accused the Delhi Police of harassment, abuse, and extortion.
'Four men in plain clothes came asking for my Aadhaar and my husband's whereabouts. I was called Bangladeshi, slapped, kicked in the stomach, and asked to chant 'Jai Shri Ram.' They demanded Rs 25,000, and the next day, we were picked up, tortured, and forced to sign documents,' she said.
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Deesa fire tragedy: Kin move SC, seek Rs 2 crore compensation per victim, probe outside Gujarat
Deesa fire tragedy: Kin move SC, seek Rs 2 crore compensation per victim, probe outside Gujarat

Indian Express

time26 minutes ago

  • Indian Express

Deesa fire tragedy: Kin move SC, seek Rs 2 crore compensation per victim, probe outside Gujarat

The family members of the April 1 Deesa fire tragedy — during which at least 21 workers, including seven children, were killed and six others were injured after a blast, involving a massive blaze, destroyed a firecracker warehouse — have moved the Supreme Court seeking a compensation of Rs 2 crore per victim and also directions to transfer the case probe to police officers from outside Gujarat. While moving the top court, the victims' kin mentioned the infringement of Article 21 of the Constitution of India, which guarantees 'protection of life and personal liberty'. The Supreme Court has issued notice to the respondents, including the Chief Secretary of Gujarat, returnable on September 26. The Supreme Court Division Bench of Justice Surya Kant, Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh issued the notice to the respondents on July 31, after admitting the petition filed by Chandar Singh Nayak, from Madhya Pradesh's Devas village, who works as a labourer in Ahmedabad, and has lost six family members in the tragedy. The State of Gujarat, through the Chief Secretary as well as the Home Secretary as well as the Regional Fire Officer of Gandhinagar, District Collector of Banaskantha and the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Deesa are respondents to Nayak's petition before the SC. On April 1, when a fire broke out in the illegal firecracker manufacturing facility, comprising six warehouses in Deesa, Nayak lost his daughter, son-in-law, siblings of son-in-law, and mother-in-law of his deceased daughter in the incident. In his petition, filed through Advocate Utkarsh Dave, Nayak has informed the court that the firecracker warehouse ran without proper licensing, sale permissions, fire safety equipment and regulatory insights. 'A majority of the deceased migrant workers, who were brought by the warehouse owners from the neighbouring state of Madhya Pradesh, worked in the firecracker factory without any formal contract, with no or minimal safety measures and equipment,' the petition states, enlisting four similar incidents that have occurred in Gujarat since 2023, including the April 20, 2023 blaze in a firecracker factory in Aravalli, in which four labourers were killed as well as a fire in Bapunagar godown storing firecrackers without permission in Ahmedabad on May 10, 2023, that caused injuries to some persons. The petition also lists the death of two persons in a blast in a firecracker factory in Ahmedabad's Vanch on April 21, 2024 that killed two as well as the May 25, 2024 Rajkot TRP gaming zone fire. 'Several persons lost their lives and many others suffered serious injuries to their person and property in these incidents due to the repeated failure of the State authorities who failed to keep a check on these illegal activities and, therefore, are jointly and severally liable to pay compensation to the kin of the victims and injured persons… In such cases, the state must see that the victims do not remain in the constant state of suffering and despair…' the petition states. Seeking a higher compensation of Rs 2 crore each for the families of the deceased victims and Rs 50 lakh to the injured victims, the petition states, 'It is submitted that the Central Government and the State Governments of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh announced paltry compensation amounts of Rs 2 lakh, Rs 4 lakh, and Rs 2 lakh respectively to the next of kin of the deceased persons and Rs 50,000/- each for the injured by overlooking the fact that a majority of the victims were the sole bread earners of their respective families…' The petition seeks 'directions' for the state government to 'immediately locate and carry out an inspection of all the firecracker manufacturing units in the State of Gujarat in respect of compliance with applicable fire safety norms' under prevailing laws.' Advocate Dave said that the petition seeks investigation into the role of the state officials, who have 'shown extreme administrative lethargy and even complicity despite judicial interventions'. Dave said, 'Gujarat has seen several tragedies in the past that have caused loss of lives due to negligence of authorities and repeated failure of the officials working in state government. Our petition is seeking that the amount of compensation should be enhanced, which can bring a life of dignity to the kin of the victims, if not closure in the matter… In the specific case of Deesa, we have sought that the investigation should be conducted by officers from outside the state of Gujarat so that the state government officers responsible for the tragedy are not given scope to escape the law. A total of 21 people had lost their lives in the tragedy. The warehouse owners were illegally manufacturing fireworks in the said premises. An FIR was lodged in the case in Deesa Rural police station.

20-year-old Noida man gets Rs 10,01,35,60,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,23,56,00,00,00,00,299 in dead mother's Kotak savings account. Here's how much that is
20-year-old Noida man gets Rs 10,01,35,60,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,23,56,00,00,00,00,299 in dead mother's Kotak savings account. Here's how much that is

Time of India

time30 minutes ago

  • Time of India

20-year-old Noida man gets Rs 10,01,35,60,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,23,56,00,00,00,00,299 in dead mother's Kotak savings account. Here's how much that is

A 20-year-old man in Noida discovered an unfathomable ₹1 septillion trillion in his Kotak Mahindra Bank account, prompting an Income Tax Department investigation. The account, belonging to Deepak, was frozen after the suspicious deposit was flagged. Authorities are probing whether it was a technical error, glitch, or money laundering attempt. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads In a strange turn of events, a 20-year-old man from Noida , Uttar Pradesh, was stunned to find an astronomical sum—over ₹1 septillion trillion—credited to his Kotak Mahindra Bank savings total amount in question is in 37 digits - Rs 10,01,35,60,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,23,56,00,00,00,00,299.A journalist, Sachin Gupta, tweeted this earlier today. According to the tweet, the 20-year-old Deepak got this amount though he said it is about 1 billion 13 lakh 56 thousand crore rupees."My math is a bit weak. The rest of you can do the multiplication and division. Currently, the Income Tax Department is investigating. The bank account has been frozen," read the per a report of News24, the 20-year-old was operating the account which originally belonged to his mother, Gayatri Devi, who passed away two months ago. On the night of August 3, Deepak received a notification showing a credit of ₹1.13 lakh crore (₹1,13,56,000 crore). Confused and alarmed, he shared the message with his friends, asking them to count the next morning, Deepak went to the bank to verify the transaction. Bank officials confirmed the mind-boggling balance but informed him that the account had been frozen due to the suspiciously large deposit. The matter was immediately flagged to the Income Tax Department, which has now launched a formal the news spread rapidly, Deepak was bombarded with calls from relatives, friends, and neighbors. Unable to handle the sudden attention, he switched off his are now investigating whether the transaction was a technical error, a banking glitch , or a possible case of money laundering. Officials say the true source of the funds will be known only after a thorough investigation.

Did Muhammad Yunus doom Bangladesh's democratic future?
Did Muhammad Yunus doom Bangladesh's democratic future?

India Today

time41 minutes ago

  • India Today

Did Muhammad Yunus doom Bangladesh's democratic future?

One year ago, the skies over Dhaka blazed not with celebration, but with fire. In the days leading up to 5 August 2024, Bangladesh was in open revolt. As Sheikh Hasina fled the country by helicopter - driven out by an overwhelming wave of student-led protests and a nation wearied by authoritarianism — it appeared, for a fleeting moment, that genuine change had arrived. The streets erupted in Democracy, it seemed, was within reach. Yet twelve months on, hope has given way to uncertainty. Violent communal unrest, deepening youth unemployment, a resurgent Islamist movement, and an overstretched interim government have together stalled Bangladesh's revolution in a dangerous state of limbo. A Revolution Without DirectionThe uprising that shook the country was never just about quotas for government jobs. It was about years of pent-up frustration - a sidelined youth, silenced dissent, and an economy that benefited only the privileged few. The civil service quota reform protests were merely the spark. The explosion was long than half of civil service roles were reserved for groups including women, families of war veterans, and the disabled. But beneath the figures lay a deeper discontent: the widespread belief that Bangladesh's meritocracy had been dismantled - and that in Hasina's Bangladesh, hard work held no costs were catastrophic. According to the United Nations, over 1,400 people lost their lives in the July–August 2024 uprising. Streets became warzones. Police stations were set ablaze. Students were gunned down. Entire neighbourhoods were reduced to rubble. This wasn't merely a protest — it was a that void stepped Muhammad Yunus - Nobel laureate, microfinance pioneer, and the reluctant head of an interim regime. Backed by elements within the military and opposition leaders, Yunus promised a national reset: eleven reform commissions, national unity, and a pathway to Meets ParalysisYet democracy requires more than ousting the old guard — it demands the creation of something new. And there, Bangladesh continues to flounder. The student movement that dismantled Hasina's regime now finds itself sidelined. Political parties that were expected to usher in a new chapter - including the BNP - remain gridlocked over election timing. The interim government insists on April; the BNP demands February. There is no consensus. No roadmap. Just the economy is disintegrating. The youth who marched in the streets — the unemployed, the desperate, the hopeful - remain suspended in limbo. Today, around 30% of Bangladeshi youth are neither in employment nor education or training. Among women, unemployment sits at 23%, with even higher figures in rural regions, where farms struggle and factories economic backbone — its garment industry - is haemorrhaging. The Beximco Group, one of the nation's largest conglomerates, has shut down over a dozen factories, resulting in over 40,000 job losses. Business leaders linked to the previous regime have either been imprisoned or fled. Trade unions have warned of systemic collapse. No relief has make matters worse, the global stage has turned hostile. Late last year, the United States imposed a crippling 35% tariff on Bangladeshi garment exports. More recently, another 20% tariff was introduced — and foreign aid has dried up. Over 20,000 development workers have lost their jobs. Foreign investors are summits and training schemes, the interim government has failed to restore economic confidence. Private investment has dipped from 24% to 22.5% of GDP. Hope is evaporating - and so is forward Deferred, Divisions DeepenedNowhere is the collapse more keenly felt than among the young students and workers who risked everything a year ago. They marched for dignity, fairness, and a better future. Today, many are unemployed, unheard, and increasingly unsure of why they fought at the failures of the transition are not just economic - they are moral. In the vacuum left behind by Hasina's fall, a new threat has emerged: Islamist like Jamaat-e-Islami, long banned from public life, are now staging enormous rallies. Their rhetoric is louder, more militant, and more visible than at any point in the past decade. And they are not merely shouting. They are acting - within communities, in the streets, and through rising acts of Hasina's departure, there has been an alarming spike in anti-Hindu violence. Over 1,000 incidents were reported within weeks of the collapse. Mobs looted homes, burned down businesses, and desecrated more than 150 temples. Twenty-three Hindus were killed. Thousands have been displaced.A State Retreating From Its PeopleThe state has largely remained silent. Police presence was minimal. Arrests were scarce. Justice - even scarcer. While the interim government acknowledges 88 major communal incidents between August and October 2024, human rights organisations estimate the real figure is significantly attacks have largely been traced to radical Islamist groups emboldened by the power vacuum. With the secular Awami League gone, Bangladesh's minorities - especially Hindus - now find themselves it's not only Hindus. Sufi shrines have been desecrated. Secular bloggers hounded. Women's rights groups threatened. Bangladesh's already delicate pluralism is being ripped apart by a surge of majoritarianism and populist religious warn that any future government — whether the BNP, a student-led coalition, or another alliance - may be forced to pander to these Islamist forces. That would likely mean rolling back reforms, watering down human rights protections, and suffocating dissent even repeated denials from the interim government, on-the-ground reports suggest radical clerics now hold more influence in many villages than state officials. In some areas, they are reportedly intimidating voters, silencing opposition voices, and usurping state authority is not a democracy in progress - it is a democracy in Are the Reformers Now?With the Awami League dismantled and the machinery of the state in chaos, minority communities are leaving. Some flee to India. Others disappear into Dhaka's sprawling slums. The homes, businesses, and temples they leave behind are often the original student revolutionaries are splintering. Some have entered politics, demanding a new constitution before elections are held. Their platform calls for secularism, equal rights, and meaningful reform. They refuse to participate in elections without these is a bold position - but one rooted in reality. The system that collapsed with Hasina's exit was broken long before her helicopter lifted off. Cosmetic changes will not suffice.A Nation at the EdgeSo where does Bangladesh go from here? The options are few and fraught. Rush elections — and risk violence, low turnout, or a chaotic mandate. Delay them — and invite accusations of dictatorship and interim government must walk a tightrope. It cannot appease all factions, but it must restore legitimacy before collapse becomes that brings us back to the core question: was it worth it?The revolution brought down a powerful regime. It was born of hope — for justice, dignity, and democracy. But in the aftermath has come only disorder: broken promises, rising extremism, economic are not judged by what they destroy — but by what they create. One year after Bangladesh sought to reset its future, that reset remains unfinished. The ideals of equality, tolerance, and opportunity are still out of as the promise remains unfulfilled, the next generation — the ones who risked everything - may lose faith. The story of Bangladesh is not over. But it stands at a critical juncture. The decisions taken in the months ahead — about elections, reforms, and justice — will determine whether this remains a nation in transition, or devolves into protesters climbed the palace roof last August, they didn't just bring down a ruler. They raised the bar of expectation. If those expectations collapse - the next fall may be far more dangerous.- EndsTune InTrending Reel

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