Latest news with #Banerjee
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Koneenica flags stroller concern at Kolkata airport
Kolkata: Bengali TV and film actor Koneenica Banerjee sparked a crucial conversation about airport accessibility after experiencing a frustrating delay in receiving her six-year-old daughter's stroller at the Kolkata airport on Wednesday. The actor, who recently underwent spinal surgery, took to social media to express her dismay over what she described as repeated negligence from airport and airline staff in Kolkata regarding the return of gate-checked strollers. Airport officials, however, stated that the airport authorities have nothing to do with stroller handling and that it is entirely managed by the airlines. Airline officials explained that while passengers can carry strollers to the plane gate on the aerobridge, the stroller is then sent to the cargo with a tag. In India, strollers are usually returned with luggage at conveyor belts due to restrictions on opening the cargo area during flyer deplaning. Banerjee was returning from a family trip to Thailand with her daughter, elderly father, and uncle. She shared a video on Facebook where she appeared visibly distressed while holding her sleeping child, waiting for the stroller. "It has been six years now since I faced the same issue at the Kolkata airport. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like O aparelho que os idosos descobriram para aliviar dores nos nervos e formigamento. A arte do herbalismo Undo Every airline is guilty of this offence. They take the stroller once I board the flight but refuse to be prompt with handing it over when I need it post-landing. Most international flights are at night, and a stroller is most handy if there is a sleeping baby. Men might not have problems carrying a child because they have well-built bodies, but it is a big issue for us," she told TOI. She mentioned that travelling alone with a child is a nightmare for her since she underwent spinal surgery and cannot carry her daughter for long. "I constantly pray that my daughter does not fall asleep on the flight before landing. When I returned from Thailand on Wednesday, I requested the airlines to fetch the stroller but there was no sight of it. My daughter will soon not need a stroller but I speak out for the many other mothers who continue to face this genuine problem. The reactions of mothers to my video and the experiences they shared only prove how difficult the situation is for us," she said. Despite informing the airline about her medical condition and the need for the stroller, Banerjee said it was not returned at the aircraft gate, as is common practice in many airports worldwide. "In other cities and countries, they hand it over at the gate without fail. Why does this lapse happen only here?" she asked.
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Speaker expunges oppn remarks, says ‘hear replies before walkouts'
Kolkata: "When you ask questions, hear out the replies," speaker Biman Banerjee on Thursday told BJP legislators staging a walkout before allowing state finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharya to respond to discussions on the West Bengal Sales Tax (Settlement of Dispute) Amendment Bill, 2025. Warning of stern action, Banerjee expunged statements made by BJP MLAs during the day from the assembly proceedings. The issue started during the debate on the bill. BJP MLAs, including economist Ashok Lahiri and Ambika Roy, participated in the discussion. Lahiri even remarked that BJP was ready to listen to govt's response. However, soon after his speech, BJP MLAs led by its chief whip Shankar Ghosh began exiting the House. Although Lahiri initially remained seated, he too eventually left after being prodded by Ghosh. As Bhattacharya began her formal reply, the opposition benches were nearly empty. Outraged, she said, "They leave before hearing us. This cannot go on." Banerjee invoked assembly rules and said the opposition's remarks would be deleted from the day's proceedings. He added that according to rules, members cannot leave the House immediately after delivering their speeches. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo The speaker said: "I have never seen such behaviour from the opposition before. They are continuously showing disrespect to the sanctity of the House. I do not want to exclude anyone, but if this continues, we will be forced to take sterner action." Terming it "highly unfortunate", Banerjee said "from now on, if such incidents are repeated, the opposition's entire statement will be expunged." The minister then asked the speaker if she should respond to the opposition's now-expunged points. "You don't need to reply. Just deliver your speech," Banerjee said. Bhattacharya said the amendments aimed to benefit both the tax assessee and state govt. "It will be a win-win situation for both if the principal tax can be recovered through a settlement without entering into legal disputes," she said. In the absence of opposition members, the bill was passed by a voice vote. BJP MLAs defended their action, saying they were given insufficient time to review the bill. Ghosh said they decided to leave the House before the minister's reply to register their protest.
The Wire
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Wire
Mamata Banerjee's Censorship Efforts Continue as Bengal Police Asks X to Take Down Manjul's Cartoons on CM
The spirit of democracy is the spirit of criticism and satire. But not exactly in West Bengal. On June 18, political cartoonist Manjul revealed that he received a takedown notice from X (formerly Twitter), acting on a request by the West Bengal Cyber Crime Wing. The agency asked for the removal of two of Manjul's cartoons, posted back in 2019, alleging they violated Indian law. The cartoons in question featured Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, lampooning the mass defections from Trinamool Congress (TMC) to the Bharatiya Janata Party and the party's alleged role in the chit-fund scams that rocked the state several years ago. Satirical, sharp, and unmistakably his own style, the posts are political commentary – nothing more, nothing less. The very act of seeking to remove two cartoons from a social media platform years after they were posted underscores discomfort with critical commentary, even when expressed through satire and artistic interpretation. Manjul's situation is not isolated. It's a clear symptom of a broader, troubling trend of intolerance toward dissent in Bengal, both online and offline. Bengal police filed an FIR against former CPI(M) politburo member Mohammad Salim and BJP spokesperson Amit Malviya. The complaint stemmed from their sharing a video on X depicting the public flogging of a woman by a local Trinamool leader in Chopra, North Dinajpur, an incident that ignited widespread outrage across the state. Just as in Manjul's case, the state police requested the posts be taken down by X. The blueprint for this crackdown goes back years. Way back in 2012, Jadavpur University professor Ambikesh Mahapatra experienced this firsthand. He was arrested for forwarding an email containing a cartoon depicting the chief minister. Mahapatra endured a decade-long legal battle before finally being acquitted, a period during which he had to renew his passport every year. That same year, Banerjee had made news after publicly commanding police to "catch" a farmer, Shiladitya Chowdhury, who had asked her about fertilizer prices at a public meeting. She branded him a "Maoist", initiating a legal case that dragged on for years. Sanmoy Banerjee, a former Congress spokesperson and an outspoken critic of the Trinamool Congress and its leader's nephew, was arrested from his home. He faced multiple serious Indian Penal Code sections, including forgery and defamation, for criticising the government. He required hospital treatment post-release. Kaustav Bagchi, another former Congress spokesperson, was arrested for allegedly making derogatory comments Both Banerjee and Bagchi subsequently joined the BJP. controversial YouTuber Anirban Roy, widely known as 'Roddur Roy', was arrested by Kolkata Police from a resort in Goa for allegedly making abusive comments against Banerjee and her nephew. Scores of social media users routinely face intimidation and arrests that often go beyond standard legal procedure. The frequent use of legal provisions under the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), such as sections 353 (public mischief), 352(intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), and 196 (promoting enmity between different groups), against social media critics highlights a clear willingness to employ legal avenues to suppress dissent. This pattern extends beyond the digital sphere. Last year, during protests related to the rape and murder of a young doctor at the R. G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, a faction of the TMC leadership publicly advocated for a boycott of artistes critical of the West Bengal government and chief minister Banerjee. The boycott call, initiated by TMC leader and state general secretary for the party, Kunal Ghosh, received support from other prominent party figures, including Lok Sabha MP Kalyan Banerjee and state education minister Bratya Basu. Basu, himself an acclaimed actor and playwright, declared that artistes critical of the government had no right to accept state grants or permission for their shows. There are also reports indicating increased difficulty for theatre and film directors critical of the ruling party in booking performance halls. Despite public outcry, Banerjee did not make any public statement against the boycott call. Her silence on such a controversial issue can be interpreted as tacit approval or a strategic move to allow aggressive tactics by party members while maintaining deniability for the party's highest leadership. This subtle yet potent form of suppression has become a new normal in West Bengal, actively undermining cultural freedom, artistic independence, and critical thought. It fosters a pervasive climate of fear and self-censorship, eerily similar to the environment under the Narendra Modi regime in Delhi. Manjul in his post noted, 'For those who think Mamata is different from the BJP.' The latest overreach, along with many others, affirms comedian and writer Varun Grover's assessment of the TMC supremo: 'Mamata Banerjee is Narendra Modi in a cotton saree.'
Time of India
2 days ago
- General
- Time of India
No Re-Encroachments Found Along Nag River, NMC Tells High Court
1 2 Nagpur: The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) on Thursday informed the high court that no fresh encroachments or unauthorised constructions were observed along the banks of Nag River, following a detailed zone-wise survey across the city. In an affidavit submitted by superintending engineer Shweta Banerjee, the civic body informed the Nagpur bench of Bombay high court that the exercise was carried out on the court's direction to ascertain whether earlier cleared stretches were illegally occupied again. "Earlier, 155 encroachments and unauthorised constructions were removed. Fresh inspections conducted by the concerned assistant commissioners across Zones 1 to 10 have not revealed any new or re-emerging encroachments," she stated. The survey followed a directive in the court's May 6 order, instructing the civic body to inspect whether cleared spaces have once again become impediments to water flow in the river. The affidavit adds that all zonal offices were instructed, through an official communication on May 20, to conduct physical inspections. The affidavit was submitted in PIL (No. 56/2023) filed by Ramgopal Bachuka and others through counsel Tushar Mandlekar seeking accountability for the flooding, and timely mitigation measures. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like One of the Most Successful Investors of All Time, Warren Buffett, Recommends: 5 Books for Turning... Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Click Here Undo The NMC further reported progress in the river cleaning efforts, stating that out of the total 16.58km Nag River stretch under its jurisdiction, 16.17km has already been cleaned. "The remaining portion will be completed at the earliest," the affidavit noted, citing a June 17 report from the NMC superintending engineer (PWD). The civic body further submitted that it has complied with another court directive — jointly inspecting the river along with irrigation department to identify any blockages. A joint survey was conducted on June 10, covering the entire 17km stretch of the river. "Certain impediments to smooth flow were identified, and directives were issued on June 12 to remove them immediately. The action has since been carried out," Banerjee said. Regarding the pending hydraulic modelling study of the river by Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS), the corporation confirmed that all requisite data was submitted by the irrigation department on May 15. The CWPRS acknowledged receipt on May 27 and started developing the mathematical model. "The CWPRS has requested that NMC and irrigation officials visit its Pune office during the modelling process for discussions. Officials will visit CWPRS as and when requested," Banerjee stated. # Nag River Cleanup And Monitoring Progress: Status of Encroachments: No fresh or re-emerging encroachments found along the river. 155 earlier structures cleared across Zones 1 to 10 River Cleaning: 16.17km out of 16.58km under NMC jurisdiction cleaned. Remaining stretch to be cleared shortly Joint Inspections: Conducted with irrigation department on June 10. Obstructions removed following June 12 directives CWPRS Hydraulic Study: Irrigation dept submitted data on May 15. CWPRS began modelling after May 27. NMC and irrigation officials to coordinate with CWPRS during the process
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Law will take its own course, says Mamata on HC's OBC order
Kolkata: Reacting to Calcutta High Court's stay on the state govt's OBC list that was notified on June 3, CM Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said the law would take its own course. Pointing out that the stay was till July 31, she said the final order was still awaited. "It is an interim order, not the final judgment," Banerjee said, adding: "I cannot criticise the judge, but the judgment." The CM said govt had received "some suggestions and some orders" from HC on Tuesday and the legal team was examining them."In the SC, we took three months' time. We will see legally what suits us," she said. Saying the state had followed the HC's rules, Banerjee said: "We did not do the survey; it was done by West Bengal Backward Class Commission." Taking aim at the opposition, she said: "CPM and BJP do not want reservation for OBC. It is for the poor and particularly for economically and socially backward people." "How can we deprive 33% of people of their rights? There are 60 non-Muslim castes among the 140 on the OBC list. Some people seem to be irritated at the sight og Muslims. But they must remember that Netaji's right hand was Shahnawaz Khan. It was Shah Jahan who built the Taj Mahal. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo How can you wipe out history?" the CM said. Kazi Nazrul Islam and Rabindranath Tagore, too, wanted Hindus and Muslims to stay united, the CM said, adding: "Why was Madam (Colonel Sofiya) Qureshi given the brief after the Pahalgam incident?" In the Army, Banerjee said, all religions were allowed and followed. There was even a dargah in Belur Math, she added. The CM also slammed BJP for "blocking jobs through PILs". "Many people are jobless because of you. There are thousands of vacant posts in police and for teachers, but the vacancies cannot be filled due to you," she said. "OBC reservation was done by former PM VP Singh, and at the time, BJP supported him. Why didn't BJP oppose him then? They are trying to dictate to people in all fields and in all matters, ranging from what to eat and what to read and where to stay." the CM said. Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh told reporters: "BJP is an anti-OBC party... One must look at the conspiracy by the opposition here... We have faith in the judiciary, but one must take note of who the architects were... The picture that is emerging is similar to what we have seen before. We saw that in this HC — those who made big statements on recruitment stepped aside to become BJP MPs. Now, they want to damage OBCs and create unrest. " "Their politics is of creating legal hurdles, whereas we work towards resolving issues," he added.
