Archives for 2021

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday said contesting from Bhabanipur is her destiny and slammed BJP for bringing in outsiders to the state to create disturbances during the September 30 by-poll in the seat.

Slamming the saffron party for its “divisive and destructive policies”, the TMC supremo said that she will continue her fight against the “demonic BJP” till it is ousted from power at the Centre.

After winning the Bhabanipur by-poll, TMC will take the fight against the saffron party to other states ruled by it and she will follow the principles of Swami Vivekananda of taking everybody along, Banerjee said.

“I have been fighting against the demonic BJP government at the Centre since 2014 and will continue to do so till it is ousted from power. Those who cannot run the country properly are sending in people from other states to create disturbances here during the by-poll. We will not follow the divisive and destructive policies of the BJP, we will follow the principles of Swami Vivekananda,” she said at an election meeting here.

Taking a dig at Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri’s campaign at Bhabanipur on Wednesday, Banerjee said the minister who has failed to control oil prices is campaigning in the state.

“He (Puri) should first concentrate on bringing down fuel and cooking gas prices and then campaign for elections. During the last assembly polls the BJP leaders had come to the state, but that did not yield any result,” she said.

Slamming BJP for allegedly creating a “reign of fear” across the country, Banerjee said it does not allow opposition parties to conduct political programmes in the states it is in power.

“The BJP is running the government in the states where it is in power in the most dictatorial way. The opposition political parties are not allowed to conduct political programmes. In Tripura, they (BJP) have imposed prohibitory orders (in West Tripura district) till November 4 so that we (TMC) cannot take out a rally there,” she said.

Wondering whether Durga Puja will be disallowed in Tripura due to the prohibitory order, Banerjee said BJP should clearly state whether they will allow the people to celebrate the festival.

“The BJP leaders in Bengal used to spread canards that I did not allow Durga Puja in Bengal. I want to ask the party whether it will allow the people of Tripura to celebrate the festival as it has imposed prohibitory orders there,” she said.

Durga Puja this year will be held from October 11 to October 14.

The TMC supremo said that contesting the by-election and being elected as an MLA from her home seat Bhabanipur is her “destiny”.

“I think people want me to continue as chief minister by being an MLA from this area. I request all of you (the electorate) to come out in large numbers and vote for me.” 

“My victory is necessary to continue as chief minister as it is only me who will fight against CAA, NRC, demonetisation and the anti-people policies of BJP,” she said.

Banerjee, who is herself a resident of Bhabanipur, had won the seat twice in 2011 and 2016 but had this time shifted to Nandigram where the anti-farmland acquisition movement against the Left Front government in 2007 had transformed her into a major political force.

She had made the change to take on her former protege and now a BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari in his home turf.

Though Banerjee had powered the TMC to a resounding win for a third straight term in office in the April-May election, she lost in Nandigram.

She must now win the Bhabanipur seat to ensure an unbroken stint as the chief minister.

Banerjee claimed that a conspiracy was hatched to injure and defeat her from Nandigram.

“If I speak about the conspiracy that was hatched to injure and kill me then a chill will run down your spine. I was badly injured in Nandigram in a conspiracy that was hatched to kill me and for the next one and half months I was wheelchair-bound. But that couldn’t stop me from campaigning across the state,” she said.

Banerjee was injured in her leg during a poll campaign in Nandigram in April.

The feisty TMC boss who addressed two back to back rallies in Bhabanipur Wednesday dared BJP to use central agencies to stop her from fighting against the “anti-people” government at the Centre.

“They (BJP) can use central agencies against my party leaders and me, but that won’t stop me from fighting against BJP. Instead it will further intensify my fight,” she said.

Banerjee is required to win a seat in the state assembly by November 5 in conformity with the constitutional provisions to continue as the chief minister.

The Constitution allows a non-member of a state legislature or Parliament to continue in a ministerial position without getting elected only for six months.

After her defeat in Nandigram, state cabinet minister and TMC MLA from Bhabanipur, Sovandeb Chattopadhyay vacated the seat to facilitate her return to the assembly from there.

Banerjee is pitted against BJP’s Priyanka Tibrewal and Left Front’s Srijib Biswas in the by-poll.

Congress has not fielded a candidate against her.The votes will be counted on October 3.

SRINAGAR: A militant who was involved in a firing incident on Wednesday night has been killed in an encounter with security forces in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Thursday.

“Last night, recently active terrorist who was earlier an OGW (overground worker) and also involved in drugs, namely Anayat Ashraf Dar fired upon a civilian Jeewer Hameed Bhat, who got seriously injured and is still hospitalised,” the Kashmir Zone police said on its Twitter handle.

The police said Anayat also used to threaten other people in and around his village with his illegally acquired weapons.

“After thorough interrogation of several suspects after attack and input from sources, a CASO ( cordon and search operation) was launched at village Keshwa. While laying cordon he fired upon joint search party,” the police said.

It said all the civilians in the adjoining houses of the target area were evacuated.

“He (militant) was offered to surrender for whole night, but he didn’t surrender. Later on, during encounter the said newly active terrorist got neutralised.

One pistol and ammunition were also recovered from his possession,” the police added.

MUZAFFARNAGAR: A 16-year-old girl was allegedly raped by three men in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh, police said on Thursday.

According to the police, the men took the girl to a jungle after threatening her with a pistol when she had gone to throw garbage on Wednesday.

The accused left the girl in the jungle after rape.

She was rescued by her family member who had gone out searching for her after she failed to return home.

According to a complaint filed with the police, the accused attacked the girl’s family members when they confronted them.

A police officer said a case has been registered against the accused, identified as Rajive, Guddu and Ashu.

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Thursday adjourned to October 9 hearing on the bail plea of former JNU student leader Umar Khalid in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case.

The hearing was adjourned to next month as Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat is on leave.

This was informed to Khalid’s counsels by the court staff through video conference.

Khalid along with several others has been booked under the anti-terror law in the case.

They are accused of being the “masterminds” of the February 2020 violence, which had left 53 people dead and over 700 injured.

In a hearing on September 3, Khalid, through his lawyer, told the court that the charge sheet in the case has made hyperbolic allegations without any factual basis and reads like a script from a web series and news channels.

The Delhi Police had earlier said that the bail plea has no merit and that it will demonstrate the prima facie case against him before the court by referring to the charge sheet filed in the case.

Dubai: Fast bowler Karthik Tyagi bowled a sensational last over as Rajasthan Royals pulled off an incredible two-run win over Punjab Kings in an Indian Premier League (IPL) thriller here on Tuesday.

Punjab required four runs off the last six balls but Tyagi dismissed Nicholas Pooran (32) and Deepak Hooda (0) and gave away only one run to snatch the win for his team from the jaws of defeat.

Punjab ended their innings at 183 for four, chasing 186 to win.

Sanju Samson’s side was seemingly down and out when KXIP opening pair Mayank Agarwal (67) and KL Rahul (49) put on 120 runs in 11.5 overs.

With Aiden Markram (26 not out) and Nicholas Pooran (32) going strong, it looked like it would be only a matter of time when Punjab would wrap up the match.

But in the end, Punjab made a mess in the last over to suffer their sixth defeat from nine matches.

With this win, the Royals moved to the fifth spot after four wins from eight matches.

Earlier, the 22-year-old Arshdeep Singh (5/32) complemented his senior pro Mohammed Shami (3/21) well as the duo shared eight wickets to help Punjab bowl out Rajasthan for 185 in exactly 20 overs after they were going strong at 169 for 5 in 17 overs.

Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (49) and Mahipal Lomror (43) scored bulk of the runs for Rajasthan.

Chasing the total, Mayank and KL Rahul looked in good touch. KL Rahul, who was dropped thrice, smashed 4 fours and 2 sixes in his 33-ball innings. He also crossed 3000 IPL runs during his knock.

Mayank too produced seven hits to the fence and also clobbered two sixes in his 43-ball knock.

Once the Punjab skipper was caught off Chetan Sakariya (1/31) in 12th over, Agarwal too was removed by Rahul Tewatia (1/23).

Markram and Pooran then played some delightful shots to keep their chase on track before they were undone by a brilliant last-over by Tyagi.

Earlier, opener Jaiswal was part of two vital partnerships, adding 54 with his new opening partner Evin Lewis (36) and then sharing another 48 off 28 balls with Liam Livingstone (25).

Lomror then smashed his way to a 17-ball 43, studded with four sixes and two fours.

However, in the last three overs, Shami claimed three wickets and Arshdeep completed his five-for to wrap up the RR innings.

Put in to bat, Jaiswal and Lewis gave RR a flying start with the former smashing two successive fours off Shami in the first over and the latter smacking Ishan Porel, also playing his first match, for a six.

The West Indies batsman punished Porel for bowling short and wide, blasting four boundaries in the fourth over. Deepak Hooda was then taken to the cleaners as he bled 13 runs.

Arshdeep then produced the breakthrough, deceiving Lewis with a slower ball as Mayank Agarwal took a fine low catch as RR were 57 for one after the powerplay.

Jaiswal then reverse swept England spinner Adil Rashid for a six, before depositing him over long off for another maximum.

RR skipper Sanju Samson failed to make any impact as a terrific one-handed catch by KL Rahul ended his stay and gave Porel his maiden wicket.

Livingstone then joined Jaiswal, who picked up another maximum off Rashid in the 9th over.

Jasiwal raised the team hundred with another four off Harpreet Brar in the 11th over.

Livingstone also tried to match his partner as he scooped one fine over KL Rahul and then smacked one over mid-wicket off Arshdeep.

A sensational catch at deep midwicket by Fabian Allen sent Livingstone back to the hut with RR slipping to 116 for 3.

Jaiswal couldn’t complete his fifty as his leading edge was held on to by Mayank at short cover.

New man Lomror then went on a six-hitting spree, blasting two maximums off Rashid before sending Hooda for a couple more in the 16th over as RR crossed the 150-mark.

Lomror also smashed two fours as Hooda conceded 24 runs off his second over.

However, RR lost the plot after that as Shami and Arshdeep restricted their opponent to a competitive score in the end.

New Delhi: Amid talk of his infrastructure conglomerate venturing into the media space, billionaire Gautam Adani on Tuesday said media coverage cannot be biased under the garb of press freedom and criticism should not be at the cost of national dignity.

Addressing the JP Morgan India Investor Summit, the head of the port-to-energy Adani Group defended India’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, saying in a rush to lay blame and find fault, it was ignored how well a nation with people more than Europe, North America and Oceania handled the crisis.

“Perhaps we could have done some things better and, of course, every life lost is a tragedy. But the sheer size of our population arguably makes the challenge posed by COVID in India greater than in any other major nation,” he said.

Stating he wasn’t implying that there cannot be any criticism, he said in democracy accountability has to be fixed.

“But in the rush to lay blame and find fault, it is possible that we failed to acknowledge another, more positive side to the story of how we handled and continue to handle the COVID crisis,” he said, adding “criticism cannot be at the cost of national dignity. It cannot be at the cost of degrading a nation.”

Adani, who a couple of days back hired a senior journalist to head his group’s media venture, said media coverage cannot be biased under the garb of press freedom.

“There is always another side of the story which unfortunately was not told,” he said.

Adani Group appointed Sanjay Pugalia, who previously worked with BBC radio, Navbharat Times, Zee News, Star News, CNBC and Quint, as the chief executive officer and Editor in Chief.

The appointment has triggered speculations of the Adani group’s possible launch of a TV and digital media venture.

The Group has so far not commented on the speculations.

At the JP Morgan Summit, Adani said India has more people than Europe, North America, and Oceania put together, which also means that India’s vaccination effort is larger than the combined efforts of 87 other countries.

“For comparison, while the daily vaccination count in the US is currently around 800,000, India is vaccinating 12 times that number or around 10 million people every day.

“Even if the United States and other countries have completely vaccinated a greater percentage of the population, the pace at which India has accelerated its vaccination programme, despite all the hurdles, is unmatched,” he said.

India, he said, has suffered some of the most drastic consequences of COVID.

“Whatever our views, we can all agree that India had nothing to do with the virus, yet has suffered some of its most drastic consequences,” he said, adding the pace at which the country has accelerated its vaccination programme, despite all the hurdles, is unmatched.