Political

26 Jul

Pegasus case: West Bengal becomes the first state to order probe

editor0 CommentsPolitical

The Pegasus row erupted last Sunday before the beginning of the current monsoon session of Parliament after an international investigative consortium reported that India was among the countries that used phone hacking software to potentially target politicians, journalists and activists, West Bengal has ordered an inquiry into the Pegasus snooping row that has rocked the nation since July 18, becoming the first state to do so, said chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday. “The Cabinet has approved the appointment of a commission of inquiry comprising former Supreme Court judge, Justice (retd) MB Lokur and retired chief justice of Calcutta high…

24 Jul

Mamata Banerjee elected Trinamool Parliamentary Party chairperson

editor0 CommentsPolitical, West Bengal

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was unanimously chosen as the chairperson of its Parliamentary Party placing her in a pivotal position to coordinate with the other opposition parties. After TMC’s victory in the West Bengal Assembly elections in May this year, the party has been positioning itself as a unifier for all opposition parties, a role that the Congress as the single largest opposition party has been playing so far. The Congress often finds itself constrained since it is a political opponent to many of the regional parties in different States. Party’s Rajya Sabha leader MP Derek O'Brien at…

24 Jul

The first meeting of the PC on July 30, both Shuvendu and Mukul can avoid the meeting! Why?

editor0 CommentsIndia, Political, West Bengal

30th July, the first meeting of the PAC. According to sources, PCC chairman Mukul Roy may not be present at the meeting. Meanwhile, Shuvendur is also expected to be present at the meeting as a member of the PC. Like the political circles, Shuvendu also wants to avoid the meeting as he does not want to face Mukul. It may be mentioned that a case has also been filed in the High Court seeking dismissal of Mukul's MLA post before the first PC meeting on July 30. Until the case is decided, the BJP can make that demand in court, leaving Mukul Roy as…

21 Jul

Mamata Banerjee was addressing the people online on Martyr’s Day

editor0 CommentsPolitical, West Bengal

Coming down heavily on the Centre over the ongoing Pegasus controversy, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday called for the opposition to unite against the BJP. “Three things make democracy — media, judiciary and the Election Commission — and Pegasus has captured all three,” Mamata Banerjee who was addressing the people online on Martyr’s Day, said, adding, “Today, our freedom is at stake. BJP has endangered our liberty. They don’t trust their own ministers & misuse agencies.” “Our phones are tapped. Pegasus is dangerous and ferocious. I cannot talk to anyone. You are paying too much money for…

20 Jul

Pegasus had hacked Prashant Kishor, Mamata Banerjee’s nephew was also targetted

editor0 CommentsPolitical, West Bengal

In the midst of the heated Assembly elections in West Bengal earlier this year, the phone of poll strategist Prashant Kishor was broken into using NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware, according to digital forensics conducted by Amnesty International’s Security Lab and shared with The Wire. They were among dozens of Indian politicians, journalists, activists and government critics whose numbers were identified as possible targets for the Israeli company NSO Group’s government clients, a global collaborative investigative project has revealed after examining a leaked database of phone numbers listed by multiple government clients of the surveillance firm. The leaked global database of…

19 Jul

The Political Fix: What can Prashant Kishor bring to the Congress – or the anti-Modi Opposition?

editor0 CommentsIndia, Political

Mamata Banerjee’s big win in the high-prestige and high-octane West Bengal assembly election last winter has triggered the possibility of a new federal front against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party. Regional parties, party factions, small and big political family firms — all seem to be involved in parleys, political intrigue and even publicity-generating photo-ops. Inciting speculation and working across regions, a ‘coalition’ to take on the behemoth that is the BJP’s election machinery seems to be afoot. Weakened states and regional parties in the Modi-Shah era have made the repeat of a 1990s-style anti-BJP coalition at…

17 Jul

SHARAD PAWAR, PM MODI HOLD A MEETING ON ‘ISSUES OF NATIONAL INTEREST

editor0 CommentsPolitical

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar today met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the latter’s residence. During the meeting which lasted for about 50 minutes, the veteran politician raised concerns about the newly-formed Ministry of Cooperation which is headed by Amit Shah, and farmers’ issues, sources in the NCP said. “Rajya Sabha MP Shri Sharad Pawar met PM Narendra Modi,” the Prime Minister’s Office tweeted, along with a photo of the two leaders meeting. Mr Pawar, who sought an appointment with PM Modi, got one for this morning. Apart from meeting PM Modi, Mr Pawar, 80, also wrote…

15 Jul

Raju Bista appointed as BJYM’s National General Secretary

editor0 CommentsIndia, North Bengal, Political, West Bengal

Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) has released the list of its new executives. In the new team, special importance has been given to Bengal. A statement issued by BJP on Wednesday said that during a meeting with the party's president JP Nadda, Raju Bista has been appointed as the National General Secretary of the party.Apart from Raju Bista, Anup Saha, MLA of Dubrajpur in Birbhum district, has been appointed as the national vice-president of the BJP's youth wing.

15 Jul

Skill, reskill & upskill: Modi’s mantra for ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’

editor0 CommentsBUSINESS, Business, India, Political

Underlining the importance of skills in the Indian culture, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday exhorted the stakeholders to continuously “skill, reskill and upskill” to achieve ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India) goal, and that India providing smart and skilled manpower solutions to the world should be at the core of strategy of skilling our youth. He said skill development of the new generation is a national need and is the foundation of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ to take India forward from 75 years to 100 years. Taking note of huge demand for reskilling due to fast changing technology, the Prime Minister emphasised that…

13 Jul

The NHRC on Tuesday submitted a report in High Court related to the West Bengal post-poll violence case.

editor0 CommentsPolitical, West Bengal

Calcutta High Court's five judges bench while hearing a petition in connection with post-poll violence has ordered a DNA test of the body of BJP trade union leader Abhijit Sarkar to be done in Command Hospital. Police on Saturday night arrested two key accused in the murder of Sarkar on May 2 after poll results were declared. The detective department’s late-night arrests were based on a tipoff that the duo — Sufal Das alias Ruidas and Sanjay Das alias Rana — had been holed up in Hooghly’s Hindmotor. Both are residents of Maniktala Main Road The NHRC on Tuesday submitted…