Trinamool MLAs from 3 districts to join Bengal CM-chaired administrative review meeting today

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Kolkata, June 3 (IANS) The ninth Chief Minister of West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari, will chair an administrative review meeting with bureaucrats, senior police officers and elected public representatives from three districts of Kolkata, Howrah and South 24 Parganas at the state secretariat Nabanna later on Wednesday, which will be attended by some elected Trinamool Congress legislators from these districts.

As of now, the attendance of two expelled Trinamool Congress MLAs, namely Ritabrata Banerjee from Uluberia (Purba) Assembly constituency in Howrah district and Sandipan Saha from Entally constituency in North Kolkata, was confirmed by Ritabrata Banerjee.

He also said that some other elected Trinamool Congress legislators from these three districts, especially from Howrah, have also confirmed their presence at the administrative review meeting to be conducted later in the day.

In the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly polls, of the 31 Assembly constituencies in South 24 Parganas, Trinamool Congress bagged victories in 21 constituencies, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s tally standing at 9 and All India Secular Front (AISF) at one.

At the time the report was filed, it was uncertain whether the lone AISF legislator from the district as well as from the entire state, Nawsad Siddique from Bhangar Assembly constituency will be attending the administrative review meeting or not.

Of the 11 Assembly constituencies in Kolkata, BJP’s tally stood at six and Trinamool Congress at five.

Both Ritabrata and Sandipan were suspended on Monday afternoon from the Trinamool Congress and the announcement on this count was made within minutes after the Chief Minister informed media persons that a probe by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of West Bengal Police in the case of mismatches in signatures of Trinamool Congress legislators in a crucial Assembly-related document was started after these two expelled legislators informed the office of the Speaker, Rathindra Bose about these mismatches.

Since then both Ritabrata and Sandipan have launched scathing attacks against the former West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee’s nephew and the Trinamool Congress General Secretary, Abhishek Banerjee.

Both held Abhishek Banerjee responsible for the landslide defeat of Trinamool Congress because of his running the party in a corporate-management style depending totally on the India Political Action Committee (I-PAC).

–IANS

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National Federation of Indian Women urges K’taka govt to continue re-survey of former Devadasis

Bengaluru, March 4 (IANS) The National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW), Karnataka unit, has urged the Congress-led government in the state to continue the re-survey of former Devadasis in a comprehensive, appropriate and just manner.

The Devadasi system is an ancient practice that has been culturally rooted in certain parts of the country. It is widely recognised that this “exploitative system”, which has functioned as a socio-cultural and economic curse particularly for Dalit women, has subjected women and young girls from these communities to exploitation for generations.

Under the Devadasi system, young girls and women were dedicated or symbolically “married” to a temple deity, committing their lives to serving the temple. Over time, the practice was widely misused by the rich and powerful sections of society, leading to the sexual exploitation and forced prostitution of women from marginalised communities.

Although the Devadasi system has been legally abolished, the practice and its associated forms of exploitation continue to persist in some parts of the country.

NFIW State President Jyothi A. said in Bengaluru on Wednesday that it has been reported that Minister for Women and Child Development Laxmi Hebbalkar submitted a report to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the second week of February stating that 23,395 women were identified in the re-survey compared to 46,660 former Devadasis recorded in the 2007–2008 survey.

“The Minister has claimed that this re-survey was carried out under her supervision without a single meeting of the State-level Monitoring and Re-evaluation Committee to address the grievances raised during the re-evaluation. I do not understand how we are expected to accept this. We absolutely cannot accept a survey that is so unfair to the most oppressed women in society,” Jyothi stated.

“However, as those of us who work closely with this community know, the said re-survey work is not yet complete due to various factors. Names left out from the previous survey list and new additions have not yet been approved. Such genuine cases are found in thousands across several districts,” she noted.

She further pointed out that taluk- and district-level supervision and re-evaluation meetings are not being held regularly in many districts.

“Due to the lack of proper awareness programmes about the re-survey, many former Devadasi women remain unaware of the process,” Jyothi said.

Even those who have information about the re-survey find it difficult to provide the documents requested by department officials. Despite bringing this issue to the notice of officials of the Karnataka Women Development Corporation several times, no concrete action has been taken, Secretary K. Renuka alleged.

Renuka further stated that although the number of girls falling victim to the Devadasi system in the state has declined compared to previous decades, it cannot be said with certainty that the practice has completely ended.

“Therefore, it is advisable not to impose an age limit while conducting the re-survey. We have conveyed this to officials of the Karnataka Women Development Corporation several times during meetings,” she added.

During the re-evaluation, locals have observed that some women who are not Devadasis have been included in the list, while genuine and eligible beneficiaries have been excluded from the re-survey list on various pretexts, State Committee Member Shekamma alleged.

A thorough investigation should be conducted into the matter and justice ensured for the victims, Jyothi demanded.

“We demand that beneficiaries under various rehabilitation schemes and programmes for former Devadasis should not be identified on the basis of the incomplete report submitted to the government by the Minister for Women and Child Development.

“The re-survey of Devadasis should continue and be conducted in a comprehensive, fair and transparent manner that includes all genuine and deserving victims and their families,” State Committee Member Durga demanded.

–IANS

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Sunetra Pawar continues as Rajya Sabha member, clarifies Maha NCP chief Tatkare

New Delhi/Mumbai, Feb 11 (IANS) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar has not resigned as a Rajya Sabha member and there was no such issue during her visit to Delhi. This was clarified by Maharashtra NCP chief Sunil Tatkare after he, along with the party’s working president, accompanied her during courtesy meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan.

Tatkare scoffed at rumours that Sunetra Pawar had resigned from her Rajya Sabha membership during the trip. However, he explicitly denied this, stating: “Sunetra Pawar has not resigned. The topic of resignation did not even come up.”

He dismissed the resignation rumours as baseless and emphasised that Sunetra Pawar’s Rajya Sabha status remains unchanged despite her expanding leadership role within the party.

Tatkare explained that her meeting with the Vice President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha was a courtesy call and a standard part of her visit. He clarified that even if an individual is to become a minister in the state or the Centre, they have six months to become a member of the required House. During that period, they can legally hold membership in another House.

He cited the example of Ajit Pawar in 1991, who remained a Lok Sabha member while serving as a minister in Sudhakarrao Naik’s Cabinet in Maharashtra.

Earlier, Sunetra Pawar on Tuesday took charge as the state Deputy Chief Minister at her office on the sixth floor of Mantralaya, saying that she would make an honest effort to uphold the legacy of her husband, late Ajit Pawar’s ideals, and to build a more capable Maharashtra.

She further stated that she would continue to work with unwavering loyalty and devotion for the welfare of Maharashtra.

In an emotional post on X, Sunetra Pawar said: “Today, as I take on the responsibility of the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, I am also filled with a sense of trust, duty and sacrifice. The lifelong dedication that Hon. Ajitdada has shown toward the people of Maharashtra in pursuit of development is the guiding beacon for me. I will move forward on this path, drawing strength from Dada’s work style, his decisiveness and the deep bond he shared with the people. My foremost priority will be to fulfil his unfulfilled dreams and to do justice to the aspirations of farmers, women, youth and ordinary citizens.”

She further stated: “No one can take Dada’s place; but I will certainly make an honest effort to uphold the legacy of his ideals and to build a more capable Maharashtra. In this difficult time, the love, support and trust that the people have given me is my true strength. Today, before his memory, I make one solemn promise: that I will continue to serve the people of Maharashtra with sincerity, dedication and integrity.”

–IANS

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Gold smuggling case: BJP urges K’taka govt to disclose names of ministers colluding with actress

Bengaluru, March 10 (IANS) The BJP raised the issue of arrest of actress Ranya Rao in the gold smuggling case in the Legislative Assembly on Monday and urged the Karnataka government to disclose the names of the ministers who are allegedly involved with the actress in the case.

As BJP leaders chided Home Minister G. Parameshwara for maintaining that he doesn’t have information in this regard, the House turned chaotic for some time.

BJP MLA and General Secretary V. Sunil Kumar raised the issue in the ‘Zero Hour’ and demanded that the government disclose the names of the ministers who are allegedly involved in the gold smuggling case.

“It is suspected that the police department has provided the protocol for the gold smuggling. The government should disclose the minister behind this,” MLA Sunil Kumar claimed.

Answering the question, Home Minister Parameshwara stated that the investigation of the case comes under the Union government.

“We only know as much as you know about the case. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) should investigate which minister has played a role,” HM Parameshwara stated.

Sunil Kumar responded saying how can the Home Minister claim that he doesn’t know anything much about the case.

Parameshwara answered that the state police were investigating what was in their jurisdiction and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) have not shared any information regarding the case.

MLA Sunil Kumar alleged that the government was protecting someone involved in the case.

As matters got out of hand, Speaker U.T. Khader intervened and told the BJP leaders that the matter was being investigated and if they wanted more information they could approach the Home Minister in his office.

Leader of the Opposition, R. Ashoka, demanded that the government should answer on the state police department providing escort to Ranya Rao.

“Let them keep aside the investigation by the DRI and the CBI,” he said.

HM Parameshwara at this point stated that if there were any lapses on the part of the police department, it would be investigated.

Ranya Rao, an actress and stepdaughter of a serving senior IPS officer, a DGP, was arrested at the Bengaluru International Airport on last Monday for smuggling of gold.

–IANS

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