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'Tea by the sea': West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's photo with monkey goes viral

'Tea by the sea': West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's photo with monkey goes viral

Time of India6 days ago
Viral photo of West Bengal CM feeding monkey (Image credit: Instagram/Mamata Banerjee)
NEW DELHI: West Bengal chief minister
Mamata Banerjee
caught public's attention when she posted photos of her feeding monkey. Shared on her official
Instagram
handle, the images show her sitting on a pavement as she offers biscuits.
The monkey sits nearby in a calm pose.
The post has gone viral on various social media platforms. The original post has received over 20,000 likes so far. One user mentioned that the photos were taken at Digha beach in Purba Medinipur in West Bengal.
She shared a thread of three photos on Thursday with the caption: 'When tea by the sea leads to an unspoken bond.'
Meanwhile, Banerjee has arrived at Digha to attend Shri Jagannath Rath Yatra. During her visit, she stated that the temple had become a prominent pilgrimage site.
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From the Urdu Press: ‘If voters have to prove citizenship, should the govt not prove its good intentions as well?'
From the Urdu Press: ‘If voters have to prove citizenship, should the govt not prove its good intentions as well?'

Indian Express

time29 minutes ago

  • Indian Express

From the Urdu Press: ‘If voters have to prove citizenship, should the govt not prove its good intentions as well?'

The Election Commission (EC)'s ongoing 'special intensive revision' of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar, which would require about three crore electors (of the total eight crore) registered after 2003 to submit various documents establishing their citizenship, has not only triggered unease among the Opposition INDIA bloc parties but, as reported by The Indian Express, within the ruling NDA in the state. At the same time, the Dalits, tribals, backwards and minorities are nervous that members of their communities would be the worst affected. The Urdu dailies kept their focus on this unfolding big story, which is set to dominate political discourse in not only Bihar but also other states like West Bengal headed to the polls next year. ROZNAMA RASHTRIYA SAHARA Referring to the EC's special intensive revision of the electoral rolls of Bihar, which is slated for Assembly polls in October-November this year, the New Delhi edition of Roznama Rashtriya Sahara, in its June 28 editorial, says the poll body's unprecedented move to seek proof of citizenship from those registered in voter lists after 2003 is a matter of concern. The EC has announced that this exercise starting with Bihar will be carried out in the entire country. The editorial points out that in its order the EC has said that each elector will have to submit an enumeration form, and that those who were not on the 2003 rolls, will have to additionally provide documentation establishing their citizenship, which would include their birth certificate if they were born before July 1, 1987, and also birth certificates of one or both parents if they were born afterwards. 'The EC's move has thus imposed a new burden on common people who remain engaged in a daily struggle to make both ends meet,' it says. The edit notes that the Opposition has expressed serious concerns about the possibility of the exercise disenfranchising a large number of voters, especially those belonging to the underprivileged, backward and vulnerable communities besides migrants, who may not possess all the required documents or those pertaining to their parents. The EC has sought to align its intentions with that of the Citizenship Act, it says. The editorial also notes TMC chairperson and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's allegation that the BJP was using the EC to target poll-bound Bengal, asking whether it was trying to 'implement the NRC (National Register of Citizens) through the backdoor'. The daily points out that the country witnessed widespread unrest and protests against the NRC after the Narendra Modi government passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in Parliament in December 2019. 'The memory of those days have still not faded away,' it says, adding that the EC's move has sparked apprehensions whether democracy is being undermined in the name of ascertaining citizenship. 'And if the country's electors have to prove their citizenship, then should not the government also prove its good intentions?' it asks. 'Would voting and democracy only remain a preserve of some select, privileged sections? Deleting voters' names from the rolls due to lack of certain papers would be tantamount to suppressing the voice of common people, which would pose a question mark on the very existence of democracy.' SIASAT With the country marking the 50th anniversary of the internal Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister and Congress icon Indira Gandhi on June 25, 1975, the Hyderabad-based Siasat, in its June 27 editorial, underlines that the Emergency was one of the darkest chapters of India's history. Prime Minister Modi has pointed out that the Constitution and democracy were violated during the Emergency that subverted our democratic institutions, it says. 'The country cannot forget the horrors of the Emergency which was an outrage.' There are however concerns about the country's prevailing situation as well, with several quarters, including the Opposition, dubbing it 'undeclared emergency', the daily says. 'The manner in which our institutions are being undermined and used as instruments for fulfilment of political objectives is deplorable. Several critics of the government have been sent to jail. Some dissenters have been languishing in prison for years without bail,' it says. 'The minority community has been cornered, with attempts to turn them into second-class citizens being stepped up.' The editorial says the widespread perception is that Central agencies including the CBI, ED, Income Tax have been unleashed by the government to target its rivals in the Opposition. 'The Opposition has even alleged irregularities in the conduct of elections, accusing the EC of allegedly favouring the ruling dispensation,' it states. 'Rather than strengthening democracy, attempts have been mounted to strike at its roots. A mindset that seeks complete marginalisation of the Opposition is a threat to democracy,' the edit says, adding that the darkness of Emergency should be a lesson for course-correction to brighten our democratic future. INQUILAB Pointing to the strained ties between the Congress leadership and four-time party MP Shashi Tharoor, the New Delhi edition of Inquilab, in its June 29 leader, says that none of the top three Congress leaders — Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge — seems to have made any intervention to pacify Tharoor, for their own reasons. Tharoor has also refused to blink in this row while continuing to warm up to the Modi government, it says. After leading one of the multi-party delegations constituted by the government for global outreach on Operation Sindoor, for which the Congress had not recommended his name, Tharoor recently undertook another foreign visit, the editorial notes, referring to his trip to Russia where he met some key faces of the Russian leadership including foreign minister Sergey Lavrov. The rift between Tharoor and the Congress widened over his praise for PM Modi on Operation Sindoor in an article in The Hindu, which elicited a terse remark from Kharge that it was 'Modi first and country later' for 'some people'. Inquilab adds that in a further jibe at Tharoor, the Congress chief said: 'I can't read English well. His (Tharoor's) language is very good. That's why we have made him a Congress Working Committee member.' In response, the edit notes, Tharoor posted a cryptic X post with an image of a bird and a caption stating 'Don't ask permission to fly. The wings are yours. And the sky belongs to no one…' This, in turn, sparked sharp reactions from other Congress leaders. The editorial says there is uncertainty over how this standoff will play out in the coming days. 'No one can say whether it would lead to Tharoor leaving the Congress or the party taking any action against him. Tharoor has been upset over the leadership's bid to sideline him in Kerala politics, where he is an aspirant for the chief ministerial position,' it notes. 'Tharoor should however not forget that the Congress has always rewarded him — from fielding him repeatedly from Thiruvananthapuram to inducting him as a minister in the UPA government, to nominating him to his current role as the chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs,' the edit says. 'Tharoor is a consummate intellectual, writer and public speaker. He is known for his progressive and secular views. He has been a powerful spokesperson for the idea of India and its Ganga Jamuni tehzeeb (pluralistic culture). Before taking any drastic step, he should ensure that his image is not tarnished.'

Hania Aamir, Shahid Afridi among Pakistani stars blocked again after social media ‘glitch' in India
Hania Aamir, Shahid Afridi among Pakistani stars blocked again after social media ‘glitch' in India

Time of India

time44 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Hania Aamir, Shahid Afridi among Pakistani stars blocked again after social media ‘glitch' in India

Pakistani celebrities once again disappeared from Indian social media feeds after their accounts were briefly unblocked due to what officials are calling a 'technical glitch.' Instagram and X profiles of big names like Hania Aamir, Mahira Khan, Fawad Khan, and Shahid Afridi became briefly visible to Indian users on Wednesday, sparking confusion and speculation. However, by Thursday morning, the ban was back in place. A pop-up on Instagram now reads: 'Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.' What happened during the 'tech glitch'? On July 2, Indian users suddenly found they could access Instagram and YouTube content from multiple Pakistani stars and entertainment channels. These included the Instagram profiles of Saba Qamar, Ahad Raza Mir, Yumna Zaidi, and Danish Taimoor, along with YouTube channels like Hum TV, ARY Digital, and Har Pal Geo. This visibility lasted only a few hours. Why were the Pakistani accounts banned? The ban on Pakistani media accounts came after India's Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror bases across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The military strike was a response to the Pahalgam terror attack in April, where 25 people were killed, including 24 Indian tourists. After the operation, several Pakistani artists made public statements criticising India's actions. This led to widespread backlash on Indian social media. Thereafter, the government directed OTT platforms and digital intermediaries to remove Pakistani content under the IT Rules 2021. AICWA demands a permanent ban The All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) strongly opposed the brief reappearance of Pakistani profiles. In an open letter to Prime Minister Modi, AICWA called it an insult to India's martyrs. Their demands included: A total digital blackout of all Pakistani content A permanent ban on collaborations involving Pakistani artists A cultural disconnect as tribute to the armed forces AICWA pointed to attacks like Pulwama, Uri, and 26/11 to justify their stance, calling Pakistan a 'terrorist nation.' What happens now? For now, Pakistani profiles are once again hidden from Indian audiences. But the sudden glitch has raised fresh questions around how these bans are enforced and whether more permanent safeguards need to be in place.

Bengaluru stampede: Karnataka HC questions suspension of 5 cops, seeks govt reply
Bengaluru stampede: Karnataka HC questions suspension of 5 cops, seeks govt reply

Hindustan Times

time2 hours ago

  • Hindustan Times

Bengaluru stampede: Karnataka HC questions suspension of 5 cops, seeks govt reply

Bengaluru: The Karnataka high court on Thursday sought an explanation from the state government over the suspension of five police officers in connection with the June 4 stampede outside Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium, which left 11 people dead, questioning whether a milder action—such as transferring them to other posts—might have been more appropriate. The June 4 stampede outside Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium left 11 people dead. (PTI) A bench of Justices SG Pandit and TM Nadaf said the state will have to 'justify whether it was proper to keep the officers under suspension, or, whether shifting them to another post would have been sufficient?' The court was hearing an appeal filed by the Karnataka government challenging the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) July 1 order quashing Indian police service (IPS) officer Vikash Kumar Vikash's suspension. Terming the state's suspension order 'mechanical' and not supported by sufficient material, the tribunal had directed the state to 'immediately' reinstate Vikash. It had also suggested that the government extend similar relief to the other four officers suspended along with Vikash, including the then commissioner of police B Dayananda. Urging the court to stay the tribunal's order, advocate general Shashikiran Shetty on Thursday said that the tribunal had acted in haste and had also overstepped in suggesting the remaining four officers, who were not even parties before it, also be reinstated. Shetty said the state was ready to show the court that all five officers who had been suspended were guilty of 'dereliction of duty.' 'I will be able to show from the records that the suspension order was justified,' Shetty added. Shetty told the court that the tribunal had granted Vikash relief on July 1 and he had reported to duty in his uniform on July 2 without waiting for any formal order from the state reinstating him. The high court, however, said it will hear the matter further on July 9 and until the next hearing, Vikash must show restraint and not precipitate the matter any further. Also Read: Bengaluru stampede: Karnataka moves HC against quashing of officer's suspension Vikash's counsel, senior advocate Dhyan Chinappa, assured the court that his client will 'not do anything' until the next hearing before the high court. Vikash and the four other officers of Bengaluru police were suspended on June 5, a day after the stampede. Vikash had challenged his suspension before the tribunal, claiming he was not responsible for the tragedy and that the police had no prior notice of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)'s Indian Premier League (IPL) victory parade, which triggered the stampede. It blamed RCB for unilaterally announcing the event via Instagram without informing the authorities. Also Read: HC allows govt to file reply on stampede plea in sealed cover In its order, the tribunal held that RCB announced free public entry, drawing massive crowds to the stadium, and failed to formally seek police permission or coordinate with authorities for the victory parade and celebrations. The Karnataka government, however, has challenged the tribunal's order claiming that the revocation of suspension of the officers while the magisterial and judicial inquiries into the stampede were ongoing was likely to adversely impact the probes. Vikash's 'presence in service during this period might adversely affect the examination of witnesses' and undermine the process of justice, the state has argued.

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