Latest news with #ManasBhunia
Time of India
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Madan apologises for rape remark, Manas sparks row with ‘small incident' comment
1 2 3 Kolkata: Kamarhati MLA Madan Mitra on Tuesday replied to the show-cause notice issued to him by Trinamool and apologised for his remarks on the gang-rape at a south Kolkata law college last week. Creating a fresh controversy, however, state irrigation minister Manas Bhunia made a comment about "small incidents" in Bengal. Speaking at a blood donation drive organised at Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, Bhunia said: "The terrorists who killed 26 of our countrymen haven't been arrested yet. But even a small incident in Bengal creates a huge uproar. Incidents take place everywhere. Husbands are killing wives, and wives are pushing husbands off cliffs. These are crises of society. But our chief minister handles all situations with motherly care. " He added: "Don't pay attention to what anyone is saying. Move forward with Mamata Banerjee's ideals." You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata As he left the programme, the minister was asked what "small incident" he was referring to and replied: "All of it." BJP came down heavily on the minister's comments, with the party's Bengal co-minder Amit Malviya saying Trinamool netas were trying to earn "brownie points" by trying to "normalise a rape". by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like How Much Does a Bali Vacation Really Cost? Liseer Learn More Undo "Now, State Irrigation Minister Manas Bhunia, another face of this depraved regime, brushed off the atrocity as a "small incident" and urged party workers to ignore it and move forward — drawing strength from Mamata Banerjee's silence and tacit approval," he wrote on X. Calling this "the culture of Trinamool", Bengal BJP general secretary Agnimitra Paul said, "Whether it is the Hanskhali girl, or Kasba woman, they have blamed the victim instead of the criminals." Later in the day, Bhunia held a press conference and said: "My words are being distorted. If necessary, I will take legal action. I did not mention the place at all. I never called that crime a minor one. I was talking about incidents in the health sector." TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh, too, said the minister's comments were twisted by a section of the media. In a post on X, Trinamool said: "BJP4India has launched a full-scale smear campaign. An excerpt from Shri @ManasB_Official's speech has been maliciously taken out of context, misquoted, and circulated to mislead viewers... Shri Manas Bhunia has issued a strong clarification, unequivocally condemning the incident and exposing BJP's desperate, deceitful narrative. BJP should know that defamation has consequences. No matter how loud the lies, truth will prevail." The party also uploaded a 3-minute clip of the minister's entire speech. Earlier, Mitra responded via WhatsApp to the show-cause notice sent by Trinamool president Subrata Bakshi. He wrote that he would remain eternally loyal to the Mamata Banerjee. "As long as I live, I will be with Trinamool Congress. I apologise and express regret if any of my comments have caused discomfort to the party. However, I request the party to review the complete or unedited video of my statement before making a comprehensive judgment and analysis," he wrote. Mitra had said the gang-rape "sent a message to all girls" that if someone called on a day when college was closed, "don't go". Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Doctor's Day 2025 , messages and quotes!
India.com
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Manas Bhunia Controversy
Videos Manas Bhunia Controversy | কসবাকাণ্ডে প্রথমে 'বেফাঁস' মন্তব্য পরে সাফাই মানসের! | Zee 24 Ghanta Manas Bhunia Controversy: From Controversial Comment to Clarification on Kasba Case Manas Bhunia Controversy: From Controversial Comment to Clarification on Kasba Case | Updated: Jul 01, 2025, 07:30 PM IST Advertisement Manas Bhunia Controversy: From Controversial Comment to Clarification on Kasba Case
NDTV
01-07-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
BJP Claims Bengal Minister Called Kolkata Rape 'Small Incident', He Denies
A West Bengal minister's statement that any incident that happens in the state is blown out of proportion has been used by the BJP to attack the Trinamool Congress and claim that he was talking about the rape of the law student in Kolkata last week. Refuting the allegation, the minister has said he was not referring to the rape and that he strongly condemns the incident. The West Bengal BJP shared a clip on Tuesday in which Irrigation Minister Manas Bhunia can be heard saying in Bengali, "The moment there is a small incident in Bengal, they say 'look the state is gone, such destruction'... Yes, incidents happen and they happen within families too. Husbands are killing their wives, and wives are taking the help of their lovers to kill their husbands when they go on vacation. These are the crises of the society (sic)." The 24-year-old law student was allegedly raped at the South Calcutta Law College in Kolkata's Kasba area on June 25 by Monojit Mishra - a 31-year-old former student of the college, who is now a practising lawyer. Two students, identified as 19-year-old Zaib Ahmed and 20-year-old Pramit Mukhopadhyay, and a security guard are the other accused, and all four have been arrested. In its text with the clip, the BJP brought up recent comments on the rape by Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Madan Mitra and MP Kalyan Banerjee - Mr Mitra had asked why the student had gone to the scene of the crime by herself and Mr Banerjee had appeared to downplay the seriousness of the crime - and alleged no woman will be safe in Bengal till the Trinamool Congress is in power. "Shame! State Minister Manas Bhunia, echoing Mamata Banerjee's stance, claims that rape is a "small incident" and that people create unnecessary noise every time such a case occurs! This is the culture of TMC. Sometimes they question the character of the rape survivor, and sometimes, like Madan Mitra or Kalyan Banerjee, they target the victim instead of standing by her, even when the rape is committed inside a state government college campus by a TMC leader," the West Bengal unit of the BJP said in the post on X. Shame! State Minister Manas Bhunia, echoing Mamata Banerjee's stance, claims that rape is a 'small incident' and that people create unnecessary noise every time such a case occurs! This is the culture of TMC. Sometimes they question the character of the rape survivor, and… — BJP West Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) July 1, 2025 "As long as the TMC remains in power, no woman in West Bengal will ever be safe," the Bengal BJP wrote. Union Minister and Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar also shared the same clip and said Mr Bhunia's comments reflect the "filthy mindset" of the Trinamool Congress. "Just like a true successor to a failed Chief Minister, West Bengal's Irrigation Minister Manas Ranjan Bhunia shamelessly referred to the bone-chilling incident of gang rape inside an educational institution as a 'small matter.' This is no different from how the Chief Minister of West Bengal, @MamataOfficial, once tried to downplay another heinous incident of sexual violence in the recent past," Mr Majumdar wrote on X. Women of Bengal have witnessed this filthy mindset of the ruling Trinamool Congress before and once again, like peeling an onion, one after another, party leaders like Madan Mitra, Kalyan Banerjee, and now Manas Bhunia are coming out with disgraceful, insensitive comments. Forget about protecting women - these remarks reflect how @AITCofficial leaders truly perceive women. And that in itself is a damning indictment!" he added. Minister's Defence Mr Bhunia denied that he was talking about the rape and said attempts were being made to defame him. "Our party strongly condemns the Kasba incident. I, Manas Bhunia, also strongly condemn it. The police have taken prompt action and made immediate arrests. Our Chief Minister does not tolerate such incidents," the minister told news agency ANI. He continued, "I would like to clarify that my previous comments were not related to the Kasba incident. They have been misrepresented and linked to the unfortunate incident in an attempt to malign and defame me. I reiterate - I strongly condemn this incident."
The Hindu
21-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Flood-like situation in South Bengal as rain, DVC water release raise river levels
Continuous rainfall over the past several days, combined with the release of water by the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), has caused a sharp rise in river levels across several southern districts of West Bengal, leading to flood-like conditions in large parts of the region. Flooding has been reported in Garbeta, Chandrakona, and Ghatal in Paschim Midnapore district, and in areas of Bankura, Hooghly, and Howrah. Several houses, roads, and agricultural fields remain submerged, while rain-fed rivers such as the Silabati have witnessed a marked increase in water levels. In Ghatal, local authorities have introduced boat services to facilitate access to essentials like food and medicines. Relief camps have been set up in the affected districts by the State government, with evacuation and rescue operations underway. Teams from the State Disaster Response Force and the National Disaster Response Force have been deployed to assist. 'We, along with the district administration, are inspecting the shelter homes and rescue operations. Efforts are being made to ensure there is not a single loss of life. We have also conducted a drone survey of the area to identify and quantify the amount of damage caused,' said Dhritiman Sarkar, Superintendent of Police, Paschim Midnapore. Irrigation and Waterways Minister Manas Bhunia stated that the administration is monitoring the situation closely, particularly in Garbeta-I, Garbeta-II, and Chandrakona blocks. 'We have not received any support from the Central government since 2015. They have not given a single paisa… We have been telling the Centre for the last 12 years that the capacity of these dams has gone down. They have not acted on the crisis, and have deprived West Bengal,' Mr. Bhunia said. On its official website, the DVC issued a flood warning on Saturday afternoon regarding the release of 60,000 cusecs of water from Maithon and Panchet dams. Floods of this nature are a recurring problem in South Bengal, causing widespread hardship among farming-dependent communities. Last year, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had termed the floods 'premeditated and man-made,' criticising the DVC for excess water release and the Centre for failing to undertake timely dredging of dams. In the 2025–2026 State budget, the government announced a fresh allocation of ₹500 crore for the Ghatal Master Plan, a comprehensive flood management initiative aimed at improving conditions in the low-lying, flood-prone areas of the region.
Time of India
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
To battle floods, Bengal govt to start Teesta dredging soon
1 2 3 Jalpaiguri: With the bed of the Teesta rising around two metres following the 2023 Glacier Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) in Sikkim, Bengal govt has decided to dredge and desilt the river. The GLOF at North Sikkim's South Lhonak Lake in Oct 2023 had significantly impacted the Teesta riverbed with massive silt deposit. Experts fear that if the river is not desilted immediately, a heavy downpour in the upper catchment areas might spell doom for the areas the Teesta flows through. The rising river has already washed away two villages — Laltong and Chamakdangi — in Jalpaiguri's Rajganj block. At least 200 families from the two villages have been relocated to Kholachand Fapri. Bengal govt has decided to engage West Bengal Mineral Development and Trading Corporation Ltd (WBMDTCL) and the irrigation department to desilt some 30 spots on the Teesta from Sevoke railway bridge to Maynaguri's Bakali, across 50 km. "It would be a no-cost-effect dredging and the state will gain revenue by selling the sand and riverbed material," said irrigation minister Manas Bhunia in Jalpaiguri on Thursday after a meeting with departments concerned. A survey by the irrigation department estimates that it would cost about Rs 567 crore to desilt the Teesta if private agencies are involved. "Centre has not given a single penny since 2016 for desilting or bund repairing. This year, Centre has allocated only Rs 412 crore for the entire country's flood management. We, therefore, have decided to desilt Teesta on our own," Bhunia said. The minister also advocated for an India-Bhutan river commission. "There are 76 rivers originating from Bhutan which spell catastrophe for the Dooars every monsoon. They bring along dolomite, raising riverbeds by 4-5 feet. A joint river commission is the need of the hour but Centre is paying no heed to our appeals," he said. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Eid wishes , messages , and quotes !
