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Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Samik, Suvendu seek Bihar-like SIR, say Bengali culture under attack in state
1 2 Kolkata/Siliguri: Bengal BJP, which held rallies in north Bengal and Kharagpur on the same day Trinamool organised its marquee Martyrs' Day event, alleged that Bengal's culture was under attack in the state. It also said that the electoral rolls in the state should be scrutinised and revised on the lines of Bihar to weed out fake and illegitimate voters. At its march to Uttar Kanya — the secretariat branch in north Bengal — BJP chanted slogans protesting attacks on women. Addressing the rally, state leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari said: "We need SIR in Bengal. We will not allow Rohingya and Bangladeshi Muslims on the electoral list. Trinamool failed to get votes in north Bengal. In south Bengal, it resorted to false voting." Speaking to reporters in Delhi, Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya alleged that Trinamool had attacked the legacies of Rabindranath Tagore and Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. "It attacked 'Vande Mataram' and now its netas are talking of Bengali pride. When (former Delhi CM) Madan Lal Khurana wanted to make 'Vande Mataram' mandatory at schools, (TMC MP) Saugata Roy opposed that. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Dubai villas | search ads Get Deals Undo It is the same song that inspired thousands of freedom fighters," Bhattacharya said. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata He also claimed Rohingya were being sheltered in a number of districts in Bengal. "Those who attacked Hindus in Bangladesh have entered Bengal now. We will cleanse the electoral rolls... names of illegal voters will be struck off," he said. Bhattacharya also criticised CM Mamata Banerjee for her 'Ram, Baam, Shyam' comment — a veiled attack at an alleged understanding between CPM, BJP and Congress — at the July 21 rally. "She doesn't know how many of her party workers and supporters are approaching us. We have said earlier too that it is time to keep aside political differences and fight to dislodge Trinamool. I am even appealing to those who choose NOTA.. . It is time to be decisive about the future of Bengal," he said.
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Business Standard
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
PM to visit Bengal amid migrant row, launch ₹5K cr projects, address rally
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit West Bengal on Friday afternoon to address a BJP rally in Durgapur and unveil infrastructure projects worth Rs 5,000 crore. The visit comes in a politically charged backdrop marked by TMC's outcry over alleged harassment of Bengali-speaking migrants in several BJP-ruled states. This will be Modi's first visit to the state after Samik Bhattacharya was appointed the new Bengal BJP president earlier this month. "West Bengal is suffering due to TMC misrule. People are seeing the BJP with hope and are convinced that only the BJP can deliver on development. Tomorrow, 18th July, will be addressing a @BJP4Bengal rally in Durgapur. Do join!" the PM posted on X on Thursday night. With West Bengal slated to go to the polls next year, the PM's visit is being seen as a high-voltage political manoeuvre by the BJP to consolidate its position in the state. It comes just days before Trinamool Congress supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's annual Martyrs' Day rally on July 21, where she is expected to issue a clarion call to her party workers ahead of the polls. In a significant political backdrop to the prime minister's visit, West Bengal is witnessing a wave of protests and strong political rhetoric over the detention and alleged linguistic profiling of Bengali-speaking migrant workers in BJP-governed states, including Assam, Odisha, Delhi, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. Alleging that Bengalis are being routinely targeted and accused of being "illegal Bangladeshis", Banerjee and the TMC have sharpened their Bengali identity pitch, a strategy that proved electorally effective during the 2021 assembly polls in blunting the BJP's Hindutva narrative. The TMC leadership has accused the BJP of "criminalising poverty and linguistic profiling" and using national security as a tool to "harass" economically vulnerable migrant workers, turning what began as scattered reports of harassment into a full-blown political flashpoint in Bengal. Reacting sharply, the BJP has blamed the TMC government for the confusion over citizenship documentation. "The lines between real citizens and those using forged documents have become increasingly blurred. Thousands of infiltrators from Bangladesh have created fake papers identifying them as Bengal residents and are now roaming across the country as Indians," a Bengal BJP leader said. As the war of words escalates, the BJP Bengal unit expects the prime minister to use the Durgapur platform to sharpen its counter-narrative and project the Centre's development agenda in contrast to what the party calls the TMC's politics of appeasement and identity mobilisation. On the development front, the prime minister will launch a slew of development projects worth over Rs 5,000 crore. "Looking forward to being among the people of West Bengal tomorrow, 18th July. At a programme in Durgapur, will lay the foundation stones for various works and also inaugurate projects worth over Rs. 5000 crore. The projects cover sectors like oil and gas, power, railways, roads," the PM posted on X on Thursday night.
Time of India
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Dilip to skip rally to avoid ‘seating row'
1 2 3 Kolkata: BJP 's former national vice-president Dilip Ghosh will not attend PM Narendra Modi's rally in Durgapur on Friday. Even a day earlier, Ghosh said he was willing to listen to Modi's speech. "I am not attending the rally on Friday. There will be specific seating arrangements as directed by the Prime Minister's Office. My seating position might lead to unnecessary discussions and speculations. I don't want to disturb the PM's rally due to that," he said. Ghosh was unsure of attending the rally since Thursday morning and said that he was assessing the situation. "I cannot say who will be present on the dais. It is up to the PMO to decide. However, I am willing to listen to the PM's speech. There is still time," he said. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata Sources close to Ghosh, who is not even a lawmaker now, said the Bengal BJP senior decided not to attend the rally on Thursday evening. "There is a definite protocol from the PMO regarding the presence of netas on the dais. Apart from state president Samik Bhattacharya, leader of the opposition Suvendu Adhikari and Union minister Sukanta Majumdar will remain present on the dais. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The all new SP160 that comes with advance technology & features Honda Learn More Undo If Ghosh attends the rally, he might be asked to sit among other party functionaries and office-bearers. He wanted to avoid the controversy," said a Bengal BJP functionary. State BJP netas, however, refused to read much into Ghosh's absence. "He might organise a party meeting at Midnapore on July 21 and address people against Trinamool and the state administration," a Bengal BJP functionary said.
News18
17-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
Samik Bhattacharya's First Task: Discipline Bengal BJP Before PM Modi's Rally On July 18
Sources say the BJP leadership in Delhi was unhappy with Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari's controversial statement asking Hindu Bengalis not to visit 'Muslim majority' J&K Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Bengal's Durgapur on July 18, state BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya has received his first task—get the Bengal unit disciplined. Bhattacharya was asked to keep the flock, including its senior leadership, in check recently when he made his first visit to Delhi after becoming the West Bengal BJP president. Sources say the BJP leadership in Delhi was unhappy with Bengal BJP leader and LoP Suvendu Adhikari's controversial statement asking Hindu Bengalis not to visit 'Muslim majority" Jammu & Kashmir. Referring to the recent Pahalgam attack, Adhikari had said: 'Don't go to the places where Muslims are in majority. If you want to go to Kashmir, go to Jammu… They (terrorists) killed people asking about their religion." TMC lost no time to hit back, claiming Adhikari 'shamelessly echoed the terrorists' agenda". While Adhikari made it clear it was his personal opinion, the BJP leadership is clearly not convinced. In Delhi, Bhattacharya met BJP's Bengal in-charge Sunil Bansal and General Secretary (Organisation) BL Santhosh and is believed to have been asked to get the state unit disciplined. No out-of-turn gaffes or unwanted controversies should be allowed ahead of PM Modi's rally in Durgapur, which he is visiting after six years. The BJP is also in discomfiture in Bengal due to its former state president Dilip Ghosh, whose growing proximity with chief minister Mamata Banerjee has irked the cadres. Last week, Ghosh too came to Delhi and visited the BJP headquarters to meet Deputy General Secretary (Organisation) Shiv Prakash. However, after the meeting, Ghosh said something that may not go down well with the BJP—that there is no pending case of corruption against Mamata Banerjee. Earlier, Ghosh went to the inauguration of the 'Jagannath Dham Sanskriti Kendra' (cultural centre) at Digha, an event largely skipped by the state BJP leadership. PM Modi's last rally in West Bengal was on May 29, 2025, in Alipurduar. Last time, he raised the issue of TMC government's alleged corruption, which he claimed 'destroyed families". 'TMC regime not ready to accept its mistakes in school jobs scam. It is blaming courts, judicial system," he said. The rally comes days before the Trinamool Congress' annual Martyrs' Day programme on July 21, indicating a strategic move by the BJP to counter TMC's influence in the state. view comments First Published: July 16, 2025, 11:17 IST 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
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Bengal BJP takes aim at ‘protection of illegal immigrants'
Kolkata: Bengal BJP on Wednesday intensified its campaign against what it perceives as the legitimisation of illegal immigrants by . BJP alleged that Trinamool's protests were an attempt to politicise Bengali identity and protect illegal immigrants. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya accused TMC of fostering anti-Bengali sentiment, which he claimed was causing trouble for migrant workers in other states. He alleged that fake Aadhaar cards were being issued to illegal immigrants, particularly affecting Muslim workers in North 24 Parganas and Murshidabad. Bhattacharya emphasised that while no Indian citizen, Hindu or Muslim, would be expelled from the country, those involved in vandalism in Bangladesh would find no refuge in India. State leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari echoed these sentiments, accusing CM Mamata Banerjee of attempting to shelter Rohingya who crossed the border illegally. He claimed these illegal immigrants possessed fake Aadhaar and Voter ID cards and called for their removal, asserting that the integrity of the electoral rolls must be maintained. He and other BJP MLAs on Wednesday marched to the office of the chief electoral officer to demand that Bengal's voter rolls be cleared of Rohingya and Bangladeshi infiltrators. Junior Union minister Sukanta Majumdar supported the scrutiny of Aadhaar and voter cards, saying that it was necessary to protect national integrity. He pointed out that similar measures were being taken in Punjab, a non-BJP state, suggesting that Trinamool's allegations of conspiracy were unfounded. Bhattacharya further warned of a "silent demographic invasion" due to Bengal's porous 2,200km border with Bangladesh, and claimed there was a longstanding design to transform Bengal into an Islamic state. He said BJP had submitted a list of 13 lakh fake voters to Election Commission and urged that action be taken.
