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Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Bengal alleges Odisha detained nearly 100 of its migrants as Bangladeshis
Amid Odisha's crackdown on 'illegal immigrants' in the state since May, fresh discord bubbled up with its neighbouring state after the West Bengal government alleged that nearly 100 migrant workers from the state have been allegedly detained and 'sent to detention centres' on suspicion of being Bangladeshis. According to TMC Rajya Sabha MP and chairman of the state's Migrant Welfare Board Samirul Islam, 'top administrative officials and police officers, under the instructions of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, have reached out to their counterparts in Odisha' regarding the issue. 'But they are not releasing the poor migrant workers,' Samirul Islam said. 'What has happened is unconstitutional'. 'They are Indian citizens and residents of Bengal. They have gone to Odisha for work. But they have been detained and labelled Bangladeshis. They have been sent to the detention centre,' he said. 'We will bring them home'. Targeting the CM Mohan Majhi-led Odisha government, Samirul Islam said, 'In state after state, under BJP rule, this is happening.' The development in Odisha comes after seven persons, including four youths and a couple, from West Bengal, who had been picked up by the Maharashtra Police and pushed into Bangladesh, were brought back last week following the intervention of the TMC government in West Bengal. According to government sources, Bengal administration officials and the police are in touch with their Odisha counterparts and have furnished residential documents of those detained and pressed for their immediate release and return. Contacted regarding the developments, a senior Odisha government official told The Indian Express that verifications are being done as part of a nationwide exercise in view of the recent developments in the neighbourhood. 'No one is being detained at any police station. We are just verifying their identities and are also in touch with the West Bengal government,' the official said. Ravik Bhattacharya is the Chief of Bureau of The Indian Express, Kolkata. Over 20 years of experience in the media industry and covered politics, crime, major incidents and issues, apart from investigative stories in West Bengal, Odisha, Assam and Andaman Nicobar islands. Ravik won the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award in 2007 for political reporting. Ravik holds a bachelor degree with English Hons from Scottish Church College under Calcutta University and a PG diploma in mass communication from Jadavpur University. Ravik started his career with The Asian Age and then moved to The Statesman, The Telegraph and Hindustan Times. ... Read More
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Voter list revision in poll-bound Bihar a ploy to bring in NRC, says TMC
Days after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that special intensive revision (SIR) of the voter lists in poll-bound Bihar was a backdoor attempt to implement the NRC, the TMC Saturday said that move came in the wake up 'BJP's internal survey showing that the party will get just 46-49 seats in the state'. 'Why is this exercise being done now? We have evidence explaining why it is being done now. It is because the BJP's latest internal survey for Bengal shows 46-49 seats for them if Assembly polls are held. In their desperation to change or attempt to change this, they are doing this,' said TMC Rajya Sabha leader Derek O'Brien at a press briefing in Delhi. Mentioning Mamata's remarks on the SIR being the 'backdoor entry for NRC', he said: 'It is a sinister move. In 1935 under the Nazis, people were supposed to provide an ancestor pass, a proof of paper. Is this the new version of the Nazi ancestor pass? Where do we go from here?' The poll panel had on Tuesday announced the special intensive revision of the electoral roll, starting from Wednesday, which will culminate with the publication of the electoral roll on September 30 before the Assembly polls due in November. The last such revision was in 2003. The Opposition has expressed concerns about the exercise potentially disenfranchising voters. The Congress said that the ECI was admitting that 'all is not well with India's electoral roll' but called the revision 'a cure worse than the disease'. He said that INDIA bloc parties will raise this issue inside and outside Parliament. 'We will not wait for Parliament to start. We can have the coordination in the House, but we cannot wait that long,' he said. At the press briefing, TMC Rajya Sabha member Sagarika Ghose said: 'This is a very important issue for democracy and transparent elections. The BJP has a habit of misusing Central agencies to target the Opposition. We are seeing this again, that through the ECI, the BJP is targeting the Opposition.' TMC Rajya Sabha member Saket Gokhale said that the Modi government 'is taking away' people's 'right to vote, and bringing in the NRC using the Election Commission'. 'The purpose of this new exercise is to manipulate Bengal elections for the BJP and then replicate this model all over India,' said Gokhale.
Time of India
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
TMC's Saket Gokhale questions Ashwini Vaishnaw over 'obscene comments' targeting widow of Navy officer killed in Pahalgam: ‘Is this your nationalism?'
Sanket Gokhale questions Ashwini Vaishnaw NEW DELHI: TMC Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale on Sunday questioned Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw over the government's inaction against social media accounts allegedly affiliated with the BJP, accusing them of posting "obscene and hateful comments" targeting the wife of a Navy officer killed in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, after she appealed for communal harmony. "It is shocking to see the obscene & hateful comments being directed towards the widow of the Navy officer who was killed in Pahalgam. Most accounts spreading venom are BJP-affiliated. Why? Only because she appealed for communal harmony," said Gokhale in a post on X. Further, directly calling out Vaishanaw, he added, "IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw should answer - why aren't these accounts being taken down or blocked? Are trolls from your party immune from the ambit of the law even when they target a victim & a widow of a slain armed forces officer? Is this your 'nationalism'?" Himanshi, wife of Navy officer Lt Vinay Narwal, who became a symbol of grief following the Pahalgam attack , urged the public a few days ago to cease spreading communal hatred and seeking vengeance against any particular community. "We don't want people going after Muslims or Kashmiris. We only want peace right now. Of course, we want justice, but the govt must take precise steps against specifically those who did us wrong," Himanshi had expressed these sentiments at a blood donation event organised on what would have been Lt Vinay Narwal 's 27th birthday. she further added, "I just want the nation to pray for him (Lt Vinay) so that he is at peace." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your Finger Shape Says a Lot About Your Personality, Read Now Tips and Tricks Undo Read more: Seek justice, don't spew hate, says slain navy officer's wife Lieutenant Narwal received complete military honours last week at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. His coffin was met by his grieving family, Navy officials, and political figures, including Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini and Delhi CM Rekha Gupta. His wife Himanshi, overcome with emotion, embraced and saluted his coffin. Through tears, she had said, "Let his soul rest in peace. He lived a good life. He made us really proud, and we should continue to uphold that pride in every way." The tragedy struck while the newlyweds were holidaying in Pahalgam, having married on April 16. The final rites took place on Wednesday evening in Karnal, Haryana, where Lieutenant Narwal's hometown is situated. His sister Shristi, aged 21, conducted the last rites as thousands of people gathered to pay their respects while the Navy personnel gave a gun salute.
Time of India
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Attach TMC MP's salary in defamation case: Delhi HC
NEW DELHI: on Thursday ordered attachment of TMC Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale 's monthly salary in connection with a defamation case filed by former diplomat Lakshmi Puri . Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora took a grim view of Gokhale's failure to heed the court's directive last year to apologise to Puri - a former assistant secretary-general of UN - and pay her Rs 50 lakh in damages. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The judge noted that the MP had neither deposited the amount nor offered an explanation. "Accordingly, issue a warrant of attachment as per section 60(i) with respect to the salary of the respondent, which is stated to be Rs 1.9 lakh. The salary shall remain attached until Rs 50 lakh is deposited with the court," HC said. The latest order was passed on Puri's petition seeking execution of the decree passed last year in her favour. Gokhale's counsel informed the court that he was not willing to apologise as he had already sought a "recall" of the judgment against him and the matter was pending before another had first moved the HC in 2021, alleging Gokhale tarnished her reputation by making false allegations about her financial affairs in the context of an apartment that she owned in Geneva.
