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Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Shah: Didi opposed Op Sindoor for vote bank
Union home minister Amit Shah launched a scathing attack on the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government on Sunday, accusing it of promoting religious appeasement, infiltration and lawlessness, adding that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will trounce the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the 2026 assembly polls. Addressing an organisational meeting of the party's state unit in Kolkata, Shah said Banerjee opposed Operation Sindoor — India's military response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack— to placate her 'Muslim vote bank'. 'To appease the Muslim vote bank, Mamata didi opposed Operation Sindoor. She has insulted the mothers and sisters of this country. Pakistan-backed terrorists killed our citizens in front of their families after asking about their religion. Operation Sindoor was carried out to punish terrorists. However, Mamata didi was pained over the death of terrorists,' he said. The CM had accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP of using India's military action to gain political mileage. The TMC rejected Shah's allegations and said that the party has extended full support to the armed forces and the government of India in the fight against terrorism. Shah's remarks came days after the PM launched an all-out attack on the Bengal government during a visit to the state, accusing it of promoting riots and corruption. In his address, the home minister called the recent Murshidabad violence 'state-sponsored' and said TMC leaders fanned the unrest. 'When violence erupted in Murshidabad, the union home ministry repeatedly requested the state to deploy the BSF, but it didn't. Central forces were deployed on the orders of the high court. A TMC leader was present at the spot to encourage rioters. It was state-sponsored and an injustice to Hindus,' he said. Clashes broke out in parts of the Muslim-majority Murshidabad district in April following protests over the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, resulting in the death of three people. Shah said that next year's state polls were not only important for the future of West Bengal but the whole country as he accused the TMC government of compromising on national security. 'Elections in West Bengal won't just determine the future of the state. They are also linked to national security. Mamata Banerjee has opened international borders for infiltrators. She is allowing infiltration in order to increase her vote bank so that later her nephew [Abhishek Banerjee] may remain in power. But this won't happen,' he added. TMC MP Sagarika Ghose also condemned Shah's remarks. 'At a time when the TMC is standing firmly with the Government of India, when our national general secretary is abroad on an MPs' delegation, speaking strongly for the country and against Pakistan-based terrorism, none other than the Home Minister comes to West Bengal and uses cheap language against our respected CM, Mamata Banerjee,' she said. In his speech, Shah blamed the chief minister for the 'deteriorating' law and order situation in the state. 'For years, Bengal was ruled by communists. After that, Mamata Banerjee came by with the slogan 'Maa, Maati, Maanush'. She converted the great land of Bengal into a land of infiltration, crimes against women, bomb blasts and atrocities against Hindus.' He added, 'Hundreds of BJP workers were killed in West Bengal after Mamata Banerjee became the CM... Didi, listen to me; your time is over now. The BJP will form the government in 2026...' TMC leaders, however, said that the party would return to power with a thumping majority. 'Shah is dreaming of BJP forming government in West Bengal. The TMC will return to power with more than 250 seats, and Mamata Banerjee would again become the chief minister,' party MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar said. During his visit, Shah also inaugurated the new building of the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) in Rajarhat on the outskirts of Kolkata, saying that it will help in taking a holistic approach towards the investigation of complex cases in eastern and northeastern states.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Mamata opposing Operation Sindoor to appease minorities, says Amit Shah
Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday (June 1, 2025) launched a blistering attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of 'stooping low' by opposing Operation Sindoor and the Waqf Amendment Act to appease the Muslim vote bank, and alleged that the Murshidabad riots were 'State-sponsored'. Addressing party leaders and workers in Kolkata, Mr. Shah gave a clarion call to uproot the TMC government from power in the 2026 assembly elections. 'The tenure of Mamata Banerjee as the CM will end in 2026. The BJP will uproot this TMC government in the next elections. To appease the Muslim vote bank, Mamata didi opposed Operation Sindoor. By doing so, she is insulting the mothers and sisters of this country. You have not only opposed the military operation, but you have also played with the lives of crores of mothers and sisters,' Mr. Shah claimed. The Home Minister said he has come to Bengal to 'appeal to the women of the State and explain the value of sindoor [vermilion] to those who are against Operation Sindoor'. Mr. Shah claimed the mothers and sisters of Bengal would teach Banerjee and her party a lesson in 2026 for opposing the military strike, launched in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack in April that left several tourists, including some from Bengal, dead. Ms. Banerjee had recently accused the Centre of politicising Operation Sindoor for electoral gains. Responding to the allegation, Mr. Shah said, 'During previous regimes in which Mamata didi was also a minister, no steps were taken to deal firmly with terror attacks. But our PM Narendra Modi took firm measures against terror attacks. But Mamata didi has a problem with it.' For the sake of her vote bank, Mamata didi has 'crossed all limits of stooping low', he alleged. 'Pakistan-backed terrorists killed our innocent citizens in front of their families after asking them about their religion. Operation Sindoor was carried out to punish these terrorists. The headquarters of the terrorists were destroyed by entering Pakistan. However, Mamata didi was pained over the death of these terrorists. She opposed Operation Sindoor by issuing a cheap political statement,' he claimed. Mr. Shah asserted that the Centre had launched a 'deep strike 100 km into Pakistan, targeting terrorist headquarters. 'Numerous terrorists were killed, but this seems to trouble Mamata ji. By doing so, you are not only opposed to the mission but also disregard the sentiments and emotions of the women of our country,' he alleged. Bangladesh tribunal indicts former Prime Minister Hasina on mass murder charges Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal on Sunday (June 1, 2025) indicted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and two others on several charges, including mass murder, for their alleged role in the violent crackdown on student-led protests last year. Sunday's proceedings marked the start of Ms. Hasina's trial in absentia nearly 10 months after the ouster of her government following the protests. 'We do hereby take into cognizance the charges,' the three-judge ICT bench said after a prosecution team formally accused them of attempting to tame the protests using brutal force. The tribunal simultaneously issued a fresh arrest warrant against Ms. Hasina and then Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal. The third accused, the then inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, is in custody to stand trial in person. The prosecution charged Hasina with exercising absolute authority to ruthlessly suppress the uprising. The two others were accused of provocation, complicity, abatement, instigation and facilitation. All three were accused of superior command responsibility for the crimes. Explosions caused 2 bridges in western Russia to collapse, officials say, 7 people were killed Explosions caused two bridges to collapse and derailed two trains in western Russia overnight, officials said on Sunday (June 1, 2025), without saying what had caused the blasts. In one of the incidents, seven people were killed and dozens were injured. The first bridge, in the Bryansk region on the border with Ukraine, collapsed on top of a passenger train on Saturday, causing the casualties. The train's driver was among those killed, state-run Russian Railways said. Hours later, officials said a second train derailed when the bridge beneath it collapsed in the nearby Kursk region, which also borders Ukraine. In that collapse, a freight train was thrown off its rails onto the road below as the explosion collapsed the bridge, local acting Gov. Alexander Khinshtein said Sunday. The crash sparked a fire, but there were no casualties, he said. Russia's Investigative Committee, the country's top criminal investigation agency, said in a statement that explosions had caused the two bridges to collapse, but did not give further details. It said that it would be investigating the incidents as potential acts of terrorism. Rescue workers cleared debris from both sites, while some of those injured were transported to Moscow for treatment. Photos posted by government agencies in Bryansk appeared to show train carriages ripped apart and lying amid fallen concrete from the collapsed bridge. Other footage on social media was apparently taken from inside vehicles on the road that had managed to avoid driving onto the bridge before it collapsed. Damage to railway tracks was also found Sunday by inspectors working on the line elsewhere in the Bryansk region, Moscow Railways said in a statement. It did not say whether the damage was linked to the collapsed bridges. Air India CEO says airline looking to replace tie-up with Turkish aircraft maintenance company Amid continuing military tensions with Pakistan, Air India is exploring alternatives to replace Turkiye-based aircraft maintenance provider, Turkish Technic, following boycott calls sparked by Ankara's support for Pakistan during last month's cross-border strikes. Simultaneously, the airline has requested the government for $600 million annual subsidy to counter losses from flight disruptions triggered by Pakistan's airspace closure since April. 'We are cognisant of the [public] opinion. As we can find alternatives, we'll try direct aircraft there. It's not an overnight or easy solution.' Air India CEO Campbell Wilson told The Hindu in response to a question on whether the airline would revisit its agreement with Turkish Technic amidst calls for boycott. The airline sends its Boeing 777, legacy as well as those leased from Delta Airlines and Etihad post privatisation, to Turkiye for maintenance operations. The airline is already grappling with a delay in the retrofit of its legacy narrowbody and widebody aircraft, and a complete retrofit or refurnishing of its 13 legacy Boeing 777 now stands postponed with the aircraft set to undergo a limited 'heavy refresh' next year that involves new carpets and seat covers. 'We've got a number of widebody aircraft that require maintenance, including the refit. There isn't the capacity in India to do that for wide-body aircraft and we've had to farm aircraft out to AIESL [Air India Engineering Services Limited- a government-owned MRO]. Obviously, they can't do all of it. We've sent some to Abu Dhabi, some to Singapore, and indeed some to Turkish,' Mr Wilson explained. Air India's low-cost arm, Air India Express, too has an agreement with the Turkish company for component support and solution needs of 190 Boeing 737 aircraft, that include services such as component pooling, repair, overhaul, modification, and logistics services of Turkish Technic. Recently, the DGCA also said that IndiGo has until August 30 to terminate its agreement for leasing two widebody Boeing 777 aircraft from Turkish Airlines which the former has been using since 2023 to provide flights to Istanbul from Delhi and Mumbai after technical challenges in using its own narrow- body Airbus A320 and A321 that had to either take a mid-way fuel stop or carry less than the full load of passengers. The government has also revoked Turkish ground-handling company Celebi's security clearance across airports. But the impact of the military tensions on Indo-Pak border for two of the biggest airlines in India don't end here. Air India has also sought $600 million subsidy from the Indian government for every year Pakistan's airspace remains shut for Indian aircraft as it is forced to re-route its flights to Europe and North America and take a fuel-stop in Vienna for flights to Toronto, Washington DC, Chicago resulting in upto three hours of additional flight duration for some. 'At the time, that was our assessment of what the cost would be,' Mr Wilson said in response to a question. The demand was made after the government asked airlines to share their assessment of the impact of the airspace closure. Air India's flights are also grappling with an impact on passenger and cargo capacity in some cases. 'In order to operate non-stop with a longer flight route, we can't fill all of the seats or all of the cargo capacity,' the airline CEO said. As many as 20-30 seats have to be flown without passengers on some flights. 'We're getting better at optimising the flight route and mitigate the impact on our customers, operations and finances,' Campbell added. In Brief: Ukraine destroyed more than 40 military aircraft in drone attack deep inside Russia: official A Ukrainian drone attack has destroyed more than 40 Russian planes deep in Russia's territory, a Ukrainian security official told The Associated Press on Sunday (June 1, 2025), while Russia pounded Ukraine with missiles and drones a day before the two sides meet for a new round of direct talks in Istanbul. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to disclose operational details, said the attack took over 1 1/2-year to execute and was personally supervised by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The operation saw drones transported in containers carried by trucks deep into Russian territory, he said. The drones reportedly hit 41 bombers stationed at several airfields on Sunday afternoon, including the Belaya air base in Russia's Irkutsk region, more than 4,000 kilometres (2,500 miles) from Ukraine. Scolding does not amount to provoking someone to take own life: Supreme Court The Supreme Court has discharged a man who was accused of driving a student to suicide by scolding him. The accused, in charge of a school and a hostel, had scolded the deceased following a complaint by another student. After the incident, the student killed himself. A Bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Prashant Kumar Mishra stated that no ordinary person could have imagined that a scolding would result in such a tragedy. The top court set aside an order of the Madras High Court, which had refused to discharge the teacher for the offence of abetment to suicide under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow.
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
‘Mamata stooped low to appease vote bank by opposing Operation Sindoor': Amit Shah
The home minister alleged that senior TMC leaders were complicit in the violence in Murshidabad in April, which broke out during protests over the contentious Waqf Amendment Act. 'The way a TMC minister incited the violence, it can be said that the Murshidabad riots were state-sponsored,' he claimed. 'The MHA kept on insisting about the deployment of BSF during the Murshidabad riots, but the TMC government didn't allow it to happen so that the violence could continue. If BSF personnel had been deployed, Hindus would have been protected. It was only after BJP workers approached the high court that the BSF was finally sent in,' he alleged. At least three people died and several others were injured in the April riots. This was Shah's first visit to West Bengal since the Murshidabad clashes. Sharpening his attack on Banerjee for the state of affairs under her rule, Shah said, 'Today, Mamata didi has turned this great land of Bengal land into a hub of infiltration, corruption, atrocities on women, crime, bomb blasts and mistreatment of Hindus.' Hitting out at the state government for obstructing national security efforts, he said, 'Mamata Banerjee is opposing the Waqf Amendment Act for appeasement politics.' The home minister also accused the ruling TMC of facilitating illegal cross-border movement. 'The Bengal elections will not only decide the future of the state, but it is also linked to the security of the country. Mamata Banerjee has left Bengal's borders open for Bangladeshis. Infiltration is taking place with her blessings. Only the BJP government can stop this,' he said. Responding to the TMC's criticism of the BSF's inability to stop infiltration, the senior BJP leader said the Mamata Banerjee-led government has not given the required land to the BSF. 'Once the TMC government gives BSF the required land, we will stop infiltration. But, it would never give land to the BSF, as the party wants infiltration to continue so that it can remain in power,' he claimed. Shah also accused Banerjee of failing to take a firm stand on issues of national security. 'During previous regimes in which Mamata didi was also a minister, no steps were taken to deal firmly with terror attacks. But our PM Narendra Modi took firm measures against terror attacks by destroying terror camps across the border. But, Mamata didi has a problem with it,' he said. 'For the sake of her vote bank, Mamata didi has crossed all limits of stooping low. A few days ago, Pakistan-backed terrorists killed our innocent citizens in front of their families after asking them about their religion. Operation Sindoor was carried out to punish these terrorists. The headquarters of the terrorists were destroyed by entering Pakistan. However, Mamata didi was pained over the death of these terrorists. She opposed Operation Sindoor by issuing a cheap political statement,' Shah said. He said that under Operation Sindoor, the central government conducted a deep strike 100 km into Pakistan, targeting terrorist headquarters. 'Numerous terrorists were killed, but this seems to trouble Mamata ji. By doing so, you are not only opposed to the mission, but also disregard the sentiments and emotions of the women of our country,' Shah said.
