Latest news with #Martyrs'Day
News18
17 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
Will Mamata Increase Grants To Bengal Durga Puja Committees? All Eyes On CM's Meeting Today
A crucial meeting between the CM and festival organisers is scheduled for July 31 at Kolkata's Netaji Indoor Stadium, where key plans for this year's pujo may be finalised. As Durga Puja approaches, puja committees across West Bengal are eagerly waiting to see whether Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will increase the financial grant provided to them. A crucial coordination meeting between the Chief Minister and festival organisers is scheduled for July 31 at Kolkata's Netaji Indoor Stadium, where key plans for this year's celebrations are expected to be finalised. Last year, Mamata Banerjee had made a major announcement, declaring that the honorarium for each Durga Puja committee would be increased to Rs 1 lakh in 2025. 'If we could raise the grant by Rs 15,000 this year, next year we will increase it to Rs 1 lakh. I'm making this announcement in advance," she had said, drawing loud applause from attendees. With assembly elections scheduled for next year, Thursday's meeting has gained added political significance. Observers believe that Mamata Banerjee may make new announcements related to 'Durga Angan," a cultural and infrastructural initiative she had mentioned during her speech at the July 21 Martyrs' Day rally. This came shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a visit to Asansol, began his speech with chants of 'Jai Ma Kali" and 'Jai Ma Durga." The BJP, however, has consistently criticised the state government's grant to puja committees, calling it a move to appease Hindu voters ahead of elections. Speaking to News18 Sajal Ghosh BJP councillor and organiser of pujo in North Kolkata, says 'This time, she will increase it and make it Rs 1 lakh because she wants to purchase votes. About Rs 400 crore will be spent at a time when people are not getting jobs." All eyes are now on what Mamata Banerjee will announce on Thursday, as both political and cultural sentiments build ahead of Bengal's biggest festival. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Detentions, protests & identity: Bengal's poll battle heats up
Stobdo hobe, Jobdo hobe (They will be silenced, they will be taken to task). Mamata Banerjee's war cry at TMC 's annual Martyrs' Day rally was aimed squarely at the BJP . Her tone this year was far more combative than last year, when the central focus had been the looming shadow of ED investigations into her party leaders. This time, the spotlight is on a far more emotive issue: Bengalis allegedly being targeted in BJP-ruled states. For a leader who thrives on street protests, who rose to power riding waves of popular agitation, Mamata seems to have found a powerful rallying point to recharge her cadre, counter anti-incumbency, blunt infighting, and deflect from stench of corruption now encircling the power echelons of the state. She launched 'Bhasha Andolan' from Tagore's land Bolpur on Monday against what she calls Bhasha Santras — linguistic terrorism. The BJP, anticipating trouble, has quietly adjusted its tone in Bengal. Jai Shri Ram chants have gone to the backburner, while Jai Maa Durga and Jai Maa Kali have found prominence. Days after Abhishek Banerjee's provocation, JP Nadda echoed Jai Bangla, while PM Modi tried to reassure sentiments in his Durgapur speech by giving his 'guarantee' to preserve 'Bangali Asmita'. The appointment of soft-spoken, bhadralok intellectual Samik Bhattacharya as state president is another strand of this new narrative. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Byron Sports Hub bryonsportshub Read More Undo Suddenly, Bengali sub-nationalism is at centre stage, just as linguistic identity battles are flaring up across the country, from Karnataka to Maharashtra. But in Bengal, the picture is more layered. Identity and language collide with questions of nationality, and the hot-button issue of alleged illegal migration from Bangladesh and Myanmar. Citizenship, culture, and the crackdown From Donald Trump to Viktor Orban, populist right-wing leaders have often piggybacked on the wave of immigration issue to win elections. In India though NRC stumbled and stalled, many BJP-led states are now reportedly acting on an MHA directive issued in May to states and UTs to invoke their statutory powers to detect, identify and deport illegal immigrants. Apart from the issue of security, the idea of preserving Bharatiya culture by protecting the demography of the nation has been a recurring theme in the words of leaders like Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari. Sarma's reply to a post by Mamata Banerjee, where he vowed to fight for existence, has gone viral. His response to another lawyer in the same issue was even more eye-opening. This, along with the Election Commission's latest Special Intensive Revision (SIR) initiative, now announced for nationwide implementation after its controversial rollout in poll-bound Bihar, means citizenship,or the lack of it, has suddenly become a burning issue just months before the Bengal elections. TMC believes SIR isn't a routine exercise, but an NRC in disguise. Some estimates say more than 50 lakh names may be struck out in Bihar itself! TMC's allegation: It's about language TMC MP and chairman of West Bengal's Migrant Workers' Welfare Board, Samirul Islam told TOI that people are being targeted purely for speaking Bengali. An IIT Delhi alumnus, he claims to have seen documents of people with property deeds from as far back as 1922, yet branded as illegals and pushed back to Bangladesh. He alleges that not just Muslims, but Hindus too are being questioned and will face severe scrutiny in coming days. While 1.5 crore workers from other states operate freely in Bengal, some of the 21 lakh Bengalis working outside are being hounded, claims MP at the forefront of this protest. Regarding detentions and pushbacks, BJP so far has firmly rejected the claim, saying law enforcement is only hauling up people bearing a needle of suspicion. But many believe this narrative may not go unchallenged. In Odisha, 403 out of 447 alleged Bangladeshis had to be released after verification. Similar cases have been reported in the NCR. This gives ammunition to TMC's charge that innocents are being picked up randomly or with devious intentions. To make matters worse for BJP, Matua community members were reportedly detained in Maharashtra, and a Rajbanshi from Bengal received an NRC notice in Assam among others, adding fuel to Mamata's political fire. Matua and Rajbanshi factor In Bengal, Matuas in the south and Rajbanshis in the north are two key Scheduled Caste communities. Rajbanshis number around 4 million; Matuas over 3 million as per different estimates. Both were wooed by BJP's CAA promise and have largely supported the party in recent elections. Unsurprisingly, In 2021, BJP won 32 of 68 SC seats in the assembly elections. If the saffron party has to harbour any chances of winning Bengal in 2026, it needs to significantly better its tally among the SC-ST seats. Thus, TMC is going to town saying even Hindus especially the marginalised are not safe from this exercise. That narrative, say observers, could shift loyalties. Professor Subhamoy Maitra warns that even if only a few from these communities face harassment, the perception of being under scrutiny could hurt BJP. While SIR might have procedural merit, politically it may turn into quicksand, especially if Mamata succeeds in framing it as a witch-hunt. Also a lot will depend on the composition of people whose names get deleted after the SIR exercise is over, according to the social scientist. However, Maitra also believes BJP may be walking into a trap. He opines that the saffron party needs to highlight acts of omission and commission by the TMC, such as the ruling party's focus on doles, including Rs 10 lakh per booth as part of a community connect scheme. He argues that political discourse should return to development rather than swirl around identity politics and emotional appeals. The way TMC has resorted to blatant corruption needs to be effectively called out, Maitra concludes. Rohingya bogey or reality? Mamata recently has raised doubts about BJP's claim that India has 17 lakh Rohingyas saying global figures put their total population at just 11 lakh. TOI spoke to Dr. Sucharita Sengupta, who completed her PhD on statelessness and the Rohingya crisis in South Asia. According to her, there are no reliable estimates for how many Rohingyas are currently in India, though the best guess pegged the figure at around 40,000 in 2018. She debunks the common claim that Bengalis and Rohingyas are linguistically similar. In fact, most Rohingya youth she interviewed preferred Hindi or English. For many of them, India was never a destination, merely a transit. Yet, as fate would have it, they now find themselves stuck. Even if identified, Sengupta asks, where can they be sent? Neither Myanmar nor Bangladesh is likely to accept them. With no global framework for refugee repatriation, the situation remains a grey zone. The absence of an international charter for granting citizenship makes the issue even more precarious, she says. Unease within BJP Former Governor and erstwhile head of BJP in Bengal, Tathagata Roy, has claimed that Bengalis , both Hindus and Muslims are helping authorities and should actively participate in identifying Bangladeshi Muslims and Rohingyas. He reposes faith in Suvendu Adhikari's words that the party will protect the interests of Hindus who migrated from Bangladesh. However, not all in BJP are convinced. Khagen Murmu, MP from Malda North, a border district, says he is hurt that Bengali workers are being embarrassed and forced to answer questions in other states. 'Bangladeshi infiltrators are indeed in huge numbers. So I advise our state's workers to carry identity cards and avoid such embarrassment,' he said. When asked about Murmu's concerns, Roy told TOI that infiltration has been happening since the early 1980s. He acknowledged that with such extensive groundwork, some issues are bound to crop up, but added that TMC would try to blow them out of proportion. The BJP leadership and central government, he said, must handle this with political caution. The presence of riverine borders virtually makes effective patrolling extremely difficult, explained Roy when quizzed about why illegal immigration continues to remain a reality even after ten years of Modi government. TMC senses an opportunity, BJP pushes back For now, TMC is using the uncertainty as a potent election weapon. Sensing discomfort, BJP has stepped up its counter-offensive. The West Bengal unit has been posting videos of Bengalis living peacefully in Delhi and elsewhere. Meanwhile, the NCR has become a hotspot for detentions which has brought greater mainstream attention to the issue. In Gurgaon alone, 237 individuals have been detained. The eviction drive in Delhi's Jai Hind Colony in Vasant Kunj has been halted following a court order where light and electricity connection had been cut off by authorities. All of these incidents have been vehemently protested by TMC and the likes of Samirul have tried to help the affected families. As Bengal heads toward another high-stakes election, BJP is doubling down on nationalism, identity and security. Whether that boosts its base or backfires with bureaucratic overreach will depend on perception as much as fact.
Hans India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Alert on Telangana-Chhattisgarh border for Maoist ‘Martyrs' Week'
Hyderabad: Police were on high alert on the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border in view of the Martyrs' Week being observed by the banned Communist Party of India-Maoist. Police beefed up security and launched search operations in areas bordering Chhattisgarh in Mulugu and Bhadradri Kothagudem districts. The CPI-Maoist has called for Martyrs' Day week from July 28 to August 3 and appealed to people to make the programmes a success. Security personnel were conducting vehicle checks in agency areas of Venkatapuram, Wazeedu, Eturunagaram, and Kannaigudem 'mandals' (blocks) in Mulugu district. Meanwhile, Maoist banners and pamphlets surfaced in Charla mandal of Bhadradri Kothagudem district on Monday. Maoists displayed banners and kept pamphlets on the highway near R. Kothagudem and at Danavaipeta village in Charla mandal. Through these banners and pamphlets, the left-wing ultras appealed to people to make Martyrs' Week celebrations a success. The banned outfit condemned Operation Kagar of the Central government in Chhattisgarh. Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were on high alert in the border areas of Bhadrachalam sub-division. Security personnel were thoroughly inspecting vehicles on the roads from Bhadrachalam to Charla, Venkatapuram. CPI-Maoist observes the Martyrs' Week every year to commemorate the death anniversary of Charu Majumdar, who had initiated the Naxalite movement in West Bengal in 1967 with the Naxalbari uprising. Majumdar had died in police custody on July 28, 1972. Meanwhile, police have also beefed up security in the Andhra-Odisha Border (AOB) region in view of the Maoists' call to observe Martyrs' Week. Vehicle checking was intensified in the agency areas in the region as part of the measures to foil any programme. The Maoist movement in both the Telugu states is at its lowest ebb due to massive setbacks to the banned outfit during the anti-Maoist operations over the last 10-15 years. However, police remained on alert on the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border and in the AOB region to foil the continued attempts by Maoists to revive their activities.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
'Linguistic terror': Mamata Banerjee again accuses BJP of violence against Bengalis; shares video of alleged police brutality
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee (Image: ANI) NEW DELHI: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday launched a scathing attack on BJP , once again accusing the government of imposing a regime of "linguistic terror" on Bengalis across the country, while adding that members of a migrant family were beaten up by the Delhi Police. Taking to her social media X, Banerjee posted a video showing a child and his mother, who she said were part of the migrant family from Chanchal in Malda, allegedly being assaulted by the police. 'Atrocious!! Terrible!! See how Delhi police brutally beat up a kid and his mother, members of a migrant family from Malda's Chanchal. See how even a child is not spared from the cruelty of violence in the regime of linguistic terror unleashed by BJP in the country against the Bengalis!' she wrote in her post. 'Where are they taking our country now?' she added. — MamataOfficial (@MamataOfficial) Earlier on Monday, while addressing TMC's Martyrs' Day rally, CM Banerjee said, 'BJP unleashed terror on Bengalis, their language; if this doesn't stop, our resistance movement will reach Delhi.' 'BJP and EC conspiring against Bengal, want to remove Bengalis from voter list,' she added. Banerjee warned that if exercises like NRC or 'SIR-like' processes were introduced in the state, the TMC would fiercely oppose them. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Treatment That Might Help You Against Knee Pain (Search Now) Knee Pain Treatment | Search Ads Undo 'We will never allow it.' She also directed TMC workers to hold demonstrations every weekend after July 27 to protest what she described as 'BJP's attacks on Bengalis.' As part of the movement, TMC leaders and workers held rallies across various parts of West Bengal on Sunday, PTI reported.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
Dibrugarh cops conduct anti-sabotage checks ahead of I-Day & Ulfa-I's Martyrs' Day
Dibrugarh: In a high-security operation ahead of Independence Day and Ulfa (Independent)'s Martyrs' Day, Dibrugarh Police on Saturday conducted extensive anti-sabotage checks across critical installations and public spaces in the city. While the nation will celebrate its 79th Independence Day on Aug 15, the banned militant outfit has been observing July 27 as Swahid Diwas (Martyrs' Day) to honour its cadres who died fighting for a 'sovereign Assam." Led by Dibrugarh senior superintendent of police (SSP) Rakesh Reddy, the day-long operation involved sniffer dogs, explosive detectors and multiple police teams sweeping through busy marketplaces, roads, bridges and critical infrastructure, with officials describing the exercise as a 'preemptive security measure.' "We are conducting extensive anti-sabotage checks in light of the upcoming Independence Day and Ulfa-I's Martyrs' Day. This is a critical part of our strategy to ensure foolproof security. Our goal is not just to prevent threats, but also to reassure the public that their safety is our top priority," Reddy said. The SSP added that the operation was purely preventive and urged citizens to remain calm. "There is no need for panic. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Most Beautiful Female Athletes Right Now Undo Our security forces are fully prepared and these checks will continue in the coming days. However, public cooperation is essential," Reddy said. Security agencies in Dibrugarh remain on high alert during this period, given Ulfa-I's history of attempting to disrupt activities around 'Swahid Diwas' and Independence Day. Police have intensified patrolling and surveillance, particularly in crowded areas and near govt buildings.
