Banner comes up in Kolkata, cautioning leaders to refrain from ‘extortion’ or face ‘egg therapy’

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Kolkata, Aug 9 (IANS) A banner was put up in Kolkata’s Salt Lake area on Sunday, cautioning leaders joining the BJP from other parties. The banner said that if anyone joins the BJP and indulges in extortion, then that person will have to face “egg therapy”.

Former BJP mandal president of the Salt Lake area, Sanjoy Poira, placed the banner in the morning, raising concerns over the entry of political leaders from other parties into the BJP. At the same time, he said the same could be applicable to those BJP leaders who indulge in extortion.

Speaking to IANS, Sanjoy Poira said, “Today the people of West Bengal have voted against syndicates, extortion, and cut money. So, right now, we are seeing the BJP’s door has been opened slightly. There may be political calculations behind this in the national interest. But those (Trinamool Congress leaders) who are coming through this slightly opened door are all people who were involved in extortion and taking cut money.”

He further cautioned those joining the BJP after the change of government and asked them not to indulge in extortion for which the previous government was thrown out of power. “We don’t want to resort to egg therapy. We want to warn the leaders that this (extortion) won’t be tolerated anymore in West Bengal. The BJP has a zero-tolerance policy against extortion and any forms of corruption. Therefore, if they indulge in extortion, then they will have to face the eggs,” he told IANS.

After the change of government in the state following the state Assembly election, a large number of Trinamool Congress leaders, former ministers and councillors were arrested by the police on various charges, including extortion, assault, molestation and intimidation. In most of the cases, angry people threw eggs on those leaders while they were being escorted by the police. In several instances, people chanted the “thieves” slogan while throwing eggs at the arrested Trinamool Congress leaders.

Recently, West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said that it would take some time for the new government to completely stop extortion in the state.

He also warned BJP workers of getting involved in illegal activities, and asserted that action will be taken against them if any allegations of corruption are raised.

The BJP state president gave a message to party workers and leaders to come out of the shadow of party politics which prevailed during the previous Left Front and Trinamool Congress governments.

–IANS

sch/dpb

Related Posts

India’s ornamental fisheries exports reach Rs 41 crore

New Delhi, May 9 (IANS) India’s ornamental fisheries exports are estimated at around Rs 41 crore, reflecting the sector’s growing contribution to the economy, an official statement said on Saturday.

India hosts about 700 indigenous freshwater and over 300 marine species available domestically, reflecting vast resource potential.

Under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), ornamental fisheries are emerging as a high-potential sector in India, supported by rich biodiversity and growing domestic and global demand, according to the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.

A total of 1,986 Backyard Ornamental Fish Rearing Units, 6,018 fish kiosks and aquariums, and 117 retail markets including dedicated ornamental fish and aquarium markets have been supported under the PMMSY.

Additionally, five Freshwater Ornamental Fish Brood Banks and 199 Integrated Ornamental Fish Units have been established, significantly strengthening the ornamental fisheries value chain and enhancing production, marketing and livelihood opportunities across the country.

Notably, the Department of fisheries has notified 34 fisheries production and processing clusters across key areas across India, including Ornamental fisheries Cluster in Madurai, Tamil Nadu.

Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi, Secretary, Department of Fisheries, visited Ornamental Fisheries Brood Bank at Mangrul Village in Raigad, Maharashtra, established by Yashodhara Sanjay Khandagale under PMMSY.

The Secretary also interacted with beneficiaries of PMMSY to understand the gaps and challenges faced on ground.

The Brood Bank visited by the union secretary is first initiative of its kind in India, conserves and breeds more than 25 varieties of ornamental fish.

The brood bank has produced approximately 7.7 lakh ornamental fish across 20 species, generating an estimated revenue of Rs 1.93 crore and creating direct and indirect employment opportunities for around 25–30 individuals.

They export ornamental fish to the US, Italy, France, Mauritius, South Korea, Qatar, Kuwait, Malaysia, China, Uzbekistan, Nigeria and Israel.

Maharashtra has a strong fisheries sector supported by both marine and inland resources. With a 877.97 km coastline, 173 fish landing centres, and 526 fishing villages, it supports over 15 lakh fisherfolk and produced about 5.9 lakh tonnes of fish in 2022–23.

—IANS

na/

CBDT steps up drive against tax dodgers, sets targets for Income Tax dept

New Delhi, April 28 (IANS) The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has directed the field formations of the Income Tax Department to step up the drive against black money and tax evasion with a comprehensive time-bound strategy to bring unreported and under-reported businesses into the tax net.

The CBDT sees a potential of unearthing undisclosed income to the tune of a staggering Rs 2.4 lakh crore during the current financial year, according to a media report.

Each jurisdiction of the Income Tax Department has been asked to conduct at least one major search and seizure operation by July 31, and a minimum of two more between August and March 2026, the NDTV Profit report stated.

The board has directed that 60 per cent of the total target be achieved through intrusive initiatives like searches and raids, while 40 per cent must come from non-intrusive investigations which involve data analysis and financial intelligence.

As part of the strategy, the CBDT has directed the Investigation Wing of the Income Tax Department to prepare focused, data-backed reports on sectors which are prone to tax evasion and in which sufficient information has not been disclosed. These sectors could stretch across manufacturing, services, mining, liquor trade, international trade, hawala, healthcare, scrap dealing, and other ancillary or unregulated domains, according to the report.

Mentioning a lack of visibility into informal transactions, the CBDT reportedly said there is a pressing need to study sectors where the volume of unreported or underreported activity is high, and to design strategies for formalisation and better compliance.

The new push comes as part of a comprehensive plan to bring elusive businesses, that escape the taxman’s lens due to limited availability of data, into the tax net and increase the country’s revenue collections.

Meanwhile, India’s direct tax collections for the fiscal year 2024-25 have exceeded their targets, according to the Finance Ministry’s latest figures. The provisional net direct tax collections reached Rs 11,82,875 crore, representing a 17 per cent increase over the previous fiscal year. The tax buoyancy factor, an indicator of the growth rate of direct taxes relative to GDP growth, stood at 1.57, up from 1.54 in the 2023-24 which reflects the strong fiscal health of the country.

–IANS

sps/na

Fire breaks out in Garib Rath Express engine at Sendra Station; trains halted

Jaipur, July 19 (IANS) A fire broke out in the engine of the Garib Rath Express at around 3 A.M. on Saturday at Sendra Railway Station in Beawar District in Rajasthan, sparking panic among passengers. However, due to the alertness and timely action of the loco pilot, all passengers were safely evacuated, and a major tragedy was averted. Officials estimate that it may take a few hours to fully restore movement on the affected route as all nearby trains were halted at other stations to prevent any mishaps.

As soon as smoke was noticed rising from the engine, passengers alerted the loco pilot, who immediately stopped the train.

His swift response ensured that no one was injured in the incident. The Railway administration, upon receiving information about the fire, halted nearby trains at various stations to prevent further incidents, said officials.

Fire brigade teams from Beawar reached the scene promptly and began efforts to douse the flames. Railway officials and engineering department teams also rushed to Sendra station.

The fire, which caused considerable damage to the engine, was brought under control eventually.

Preliminary investigation indicates that the fire might have been caused by a technical fault or short circuit in the engine.

A detailed enquiry is currently underway to confirm the cause of the blaze.

A Railway spokesperson confirmed that no passengers were harmed in the incident and that alternative arrangements were made to send them to their destinations.

An eyewitness and passenger on the train said, “We saw smoke coming out of the engine and informed the driver. He reacted immediately and stopped the train. His presence of mind saved us as it did not allow the fire to spread to the other coaches.”

Following the incident, Railway authorities have begun removing the damaged engine from the track to normalise rail traffic.

Officials estimate that it may take a few hours to fully restore movement on the affected route. Authorities are expected to review maintenance protocols and preventive measures to avoid similar incidents in the future, said officials.

–IANS

arc/rad