Mamata raises Durga Puja grant to Rs 1.10 lakh, BJP alleges move to woo clubs ahead of polls
Last year, the state government provided ₹85,000 as a grant to Puja committees. At the time, the Chief Minister had declared that this year a grant of ₹1 lakh would be given to each committee. However, she eventually announced an additional ₹10,000, which the opposition BJP has alleged is an attempt at 'buying favour' from thousands of local clubs ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections in West Bengal.
Addressing a coordination meeting of Puja committees at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata, Banerjee said, 'Durga Puja is not just a religious celebration. It is the lifeline of Bengal's cultural identity. Our praner utsab (festival of the heart). We are proud that UNESCO has recognised it as 'intangible heritage'.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
27 minutes ago
- The Hindu
BJP workers plant saplings in memory of late Sushma Swaraj
On the sixth death anniversary of former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday, as a tribute, 501 saplings were planted at Silver Oak Park, Jangpura Extension, said Delhi BJP president Virender Sachdeva. 'Today, on the death anniversary of Sushma Swaraj, we, BJP workers, gathered to offer floral tributes and plant 501 saplings. Swaraj was like a mother to all of us. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiative 'One Tree in the Name of Mother', we planted these saplings in her memory,' said Mr. Sachdeva. 'Swaraj's ideals and personality remain an ongoing source of inspiration for all our workers. From her, we learned how to conduct debate in the House with civility, even while in the Opposition,' he added. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, who took part in the event, said that thousands of women across India and abroad still remember Sushma as a source of inspiration. 'She was not only a towering personality, but also a motherly politician. Every daughter of the country should draw inspiration from her life,' said Ms. Gupta.
Time of India
41 minutes ago
- Time of India
7 held for attack on Suvendu's convoy in Cooch Behar
1 2 Kolkata/Jalpaiguri: Seven people were arrested by Cooch Behar Police on Wednesday in connection with the attack on the convoy of Bengal leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari. Sources said the arrested included TMC workers and Trinamool Yuva functionaries. The arrested were remanded to five days' judicial custody. Meanwhile, Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya moved a notice in Rajya Sabha under Rule 267 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of State (Rajya Sabha), seeking a discussion on the attack, which he described as "an attack on democracy". Adhikari's convoy came under attack in Cooch Behar on Tuesday, when he arrived to attend a protest rally and submit a memorandum to the SP regarding alleged assaults on BJP workers. As the convoy reached Khagrabari, a group of alleged TMC supporters attacked the convoy. In his complaint, Adhikari named 41 persons, including state minister, Udayan Guha. "We are not going to leave them. If Udayan Guha was directly involved in the incident, the police's role cannot be ruled out," Adhikari said at a meeting on Wednesday. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata According to an agency report, Union home minister Amit Shah spoke to Nisith Pramanik, former Union Minister of state for home affairs, seeking details about the incident. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Live Your Best Life: The 20 Top-Ranked Cities to Move to in 2024 Learn More Undo Guha said the identities of those arrested demonstrate that the allegations made by Adhikari — that the attack on his convoy was carried out by illegal Rohingya and Bangladeshi infiltrators — are unfounded. "Not a single Rohingya or Bangladeshi Muslim was named in complaint or arrested. His comments were baseless and he should apologise. Those who disrespect Bengalis and the Bengali language will be shown black flags," Guha said.
Deccan Herald
an hour ago
- Deccan Herald
'Will expose BJP's true face...': Mamata Banerjee threatens to take issue of 'persecution of Bengalis' at global forums
"If they remove the names of genuine Bengalis from the electoral rolls, I will travel the world and expose their (BJP's) true faces," Banerjee warned.
