Latest news with #WestBengalAssembly
The Hindu
26-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Bar district administration, civic volunteers from Bengal poll process: BJP
The Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, has submitted a memorandum to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) demanding that the district administration and civic volunteers be kept away from the electoral process. Mr. Adhikari and a delegation of around 20 BJP MLAs visited the CEO's office on Monday (May 26, 2025). Assembly elections in West Bengal are scheduled in 2026, and the visit to the CEO's office carries a great deal of political significance. Mr. Adhikari said that 'fair elections' are a prerequisite for democracy in West Bengal and urged the CEO to change the existing Standard Operating Procedure relating to elections. Referring to a Calcutta High Court report on the recent violence at Murshidabad, in which the committee said that police did not respond to calls, the LOP said that the same is true for elections during which the police do not take calls. Mr. Adhikari said the entire police set up of the state should be transferred during elections. He also highlighted the suspension of Arun Gorain, assistant system manager of the Kakdwip subdivision in the South 24 Parganas district, for alleged gross misconduct by the Election Commission of India (ECI) and said the incident was a big scam. Influencing officers 'After the malpractice was reported in the media, the State has been trying to hush up the anomaly in preparation of the voter list. It is not a solitary incident, the practice is rampant, with members of the ruling party in West Bengal influencing officers who are entrusted with conducting free and fair elections,' the BJP leader's memorandum said. Also read: Suvendu Adhikari targets WB Government over OBC reservation He also demanded that electoral malpractices should be investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) since ECI is a central government agency. Mr. Adhikari also highlighted recent remarks by Trinamool Congress MLA from Kakdwip, Maturam Pakhira, in which he alleged that officials are including names in the voter list for monetary gain. Earlier in February this year, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged that the BJP leadership, with the blessings of the ECI, included fake voters in the electoral rolls. Ms. Banerjee directed her party leaders to conduct door to door surveys of voter lists. The CEO had refuted the allegations. After weeks of frantic activity by the Trinamool leadership, the party has gone slow on door to door surveys of voter lists. Bypolls to five assembly seats in four states, including Kaliganj in West Bengal, will be held on June 19, the Election Commission announced on May 25. Election to the Kaliganj Assembly seat in West Bengal has been necessitated due to the death of sitting assembly member Nasiruddin Ahamed.
Hans India
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Suvendu Adhikari slams Mamata Banerjee for 'anti-BSF' remark
Kolkata: Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday slammed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her "negative observations" about Border Security Force (BSF) that it was not taking much initiative about the safe return of its jawan Purnam Kumar Shaw from the custody of Pakistan Rangers. Talking to media persons, Adhikari said, "On Tuesday, the Chief Minister accused the BSF authorities of being reluctant to take effective measures to ensure the safe return of Shaw. The Chief Minister said that since the BSF won't do anything, she would have to take up the matter. Indirectly, she alleged that BSF was a non-functional entity. This is an anti-national statement." The BJP leader questioned if not the BSF, with whom CM Banerjee would take up the matter. Taking a dig at Chief Minister Banerjee, Adhikari said: "Mamata Banerjee should make it clear to the people of the country whether she would have taken up the matter with Shehbaz Sharif." Adhikari shared that Shaw's safe return was guaranteed to him by the Director General of BSF just 48 hours ago. "I spoke to the Director General of BSF, and he assured me that the needful is done. Shaw would return safely very soon. The entire credit goes to our Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and the BSF authorities," Adhikari said. Earlier, Adhikari also issued a statement on the safe return of Shaw, saying that the latter's return is a moment of pride and huge relief for the nation. "Heartfelt gratitude to the Border Security Force high command for their unwavering commitment to get their Jawan back, and to the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Home Affairs for their relentless efforts in ensuring his safe return," Adhikari's statement read. Shaw was handed over to India at 10.30 a.m. through the Joint Check Post Attari in Punjab. Shaw was captured a day after the Pahalgam terror attack, as he had inadvertently crossed the international border along with his service weapon. He was immediately detained by Pakistani forces and remained in their custody amid heightened tensions between the two countries.
India Gazette
13-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
"After Operation Sindoor, all patriots should join BJP": Suvendu Adhikari hails PM Modi's address
East Medinipur (West Bengal) [India], May 13 (ANI): Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, on Tuesday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation, asserting that after Operation Sindoor, all 'patriots' should join the BJP. Speaking to ANI, Adhikari lauded the Indian Armed Forces for giving a befitting reply to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. 'BJP is a nation-first party. All those who are nationalists will have to come along with PM Modi. After Operation Sindoor, all patriots should join the BJP. The PM gave a very good speech yesterday. The Indian Army gave a befitting reply during Operation Sindoor. Our Army has erased many family members of Masood Azhar,' the BJP leader said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that Operation Sindoor has carved out a benchmark in India's fight against terrorism and has 'set up a new parameter and new normal'. Addressing the nation, PM Modi also referred to India conducting a surgical strike in 2016 at terror launch pads along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir and to the air strikes at a terror camp in Pakistan in 2019 and said that after the two operations, Operation Sindoor is India's policy against terrorism. In Operation Sindoor on May 7, India conducted precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir in response to the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed. PM Modi said that the Indian Air Force, Army, Navy, Border Security Force, and India's paramilitary forces are constantly on alert. 'After the surgical strike and air strike, now Operation Sindoor is India's policy against terrorism. Operation Sindoor has carved out a new benchmark in our fight against terrorism and has set up a new parameter and new normal,' he said. 'First, If there is a terrorist attack on India, a fitting reply will be given. We will give a befitting response on our terms only. We will take strict action at every place from where the roots of terrorism emerge. Secondly, India will not tolerate any nuclear blackmail. India will strike precisely and decisively at the terrorist hideouts developing under the cover of nuclear blackmail,' he added. (ANI)
The Hindu
12-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
West Bengal police are targeting Hindu youth in Murshidabad, alleges Suvendu Adhikari
The Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Monday (May 12, 2025) accused the West Bengal police of selectively targeting Hindu youth in the violence-hit areas of Murshidabad district. He claimed that fake First Information Reports (FIRs) were being filed by the local police, and many were being picked up and held at police stations 'for hours and days' under 'fake charges'. The police had 'vanished' when violence erupted in the Dhulian, Samsherganj and Suti areas of Murshidabad, the senior Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) leader claimed, but they had been proactive in filing 'false cases under unbailable charges against innocent Hindu men since the last three days'. 'The CM [Mamata Banerjee] went to the affected places on May 5 to instigate the police against the Hindus. The police targeted Hindu households, and picked up three men in Ward 10 of Thakurpara three days ago. The men are Chiranjib Ghosh, Ashish Talapatra, and Gora Ghosh. Gora Ghosh was released the next day, but the others remained in custody,' Mr. Adhikari said. A team of three lawyers from the BJP visited the affected areas on May 11 and offered legal support to the men who had been detained, Mr. Adhikari said. A case would be filed at the Calcutta High Court against the 'selective arrests', he added. The police picked up several men even on Sunday (May 11) and detained them for several hours without due cause, the BJP leader alleged. Also read | Murshidabad murder: West Bengal police arrest accused from Jharkhand The police post outside Bharat Sevashram Sangha, Beldanga, Berhampore had been removed following a letter from the Chief Minister ordering its removal, Mr. Adhikari said. The facility sheltered many marginalised tribal and Hindu men who risked facing violence at the hands of locals, he said. Violence was reported on April 11-12 in Murshidabad's Samsherganj police station area at a protest against the recently passed Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. The violence resulted in the death of three people, including a father-son duo Harogobind Das and Chandan Das, who were brutally lynched to death outside their home in the area's Jafrabad locality. Eleven persons have been arrested in connection with these two deaths. Several properties were torched and vandalised by a mob across the Dhulian municipality in the violence. So far, 60 FIRs have been registered and 345 persons have been arrested for their alleged involvement in violence, according to the West Bengal police. Family assured The wife of the Border Security Force (BSF) constable Purnam Kumar Sahu, who is being held by Pakistani forces, has asked for help from both the State and Central governments for her husband's safe return. Rajni Sahu, who is pregnant, has also sought a meeting with the Chief Minister, who has already assured Ms. Sahu over a phone call. Mr. Adhikari said he had spoken with the Director General, BSF, who had assured that following the ceasefire understanding, 'something positive will come out of the negotiations for the BSF jawan's release'.
Hans India
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Amid controversy 'Dham' signage removed from site of Digha Jagannath temple
Kolkata: Amid controversies on whether the Lord Jagannath Temple at Digha in the East Midnapore district of West Bengal can be described as 'Dham', the signage of 'Jagannath Dham' has been removed from the site of the said temple. Local Trinamool Congress legislator Akhil Giri had claimed that the illuminated signage was a temporary structure that was raised for the purpose of the inauguration of the temple on April 30. 'The signage has been removed after the inauguration. There is no other reason behind this development. Construction of a new gate of the temple named after Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is going on. The signage might be raised again after that,' Giri said. However, Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly had claimed that the signage was removed after two controversies over the Digha structure, the first in relation to the structure being described as a 'Dham' and the second being charges of leftover timber meant for Puri's Jagannath Temple being used to carve deities in Digha. He claimed that the signage removal happened after it was clear that the adoption of unethical means to create a perception of equivalence between Puri and Digha had failed and those behind such attempts started feeling the heat. Since the beginning, multiple controversies surfaced over the Digha temple. The first controversy was in relation to why the Digha Temple was referred to as 'Jagannath Dham Cultural Centre' as recorded by the implementation agency of the temple, the West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (WBHIDCO). Legal brains felt that this was done deliberately to avoid controversies as regards constitutional obligations on spending public money from the state exchequer to construct or develop any religious structure. Then surfaced the controversy over naming the Digha structure as Jagannath Dham Cultural Centre, ignoring the significance of the word 'Dham'. As per traditional Hindu belief, there are four Dhams, popularly known as 'Char Dham', namely Badrinath, Dwarka, Rameswaram, and Puri. Apart from that, no other temple or religious establishment can be referred to as a Dham since the word has a special religious significance.
