Bengal: BJP leaders file complaints against Abhishek Banerjee

Raipur, June 23 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s scheduled visit to Narayanpur in Chhattisgarh on Monday was cancelled due to heavy rain forecasts in the region, official sources said.

Instead, the Union Minister remained in Raipur, where he will chair high-level meetings with security commanders to review the anti-Maoist operations and internal security strategies.

He was scheduled to visit the Irakbhatti village of Narayanpur district and meet people from the Abhujhmadiya tribe.

During his two-day visit to Chhattisgarh, Union Minister Shah reiterated the Centre’s commitment to eradicating Maoism by March 31, 2026.

“I had said in Chhattisgarh itself that on March 31, 2026, this country will be free from Maoism, and I would like to reiterate today that the way the security forces have shown valour, we will definitely achieve this goal,” he said while addressing officials in Raipur on Sunday.

He issued a stern warning to Maoists, saying, “If you do not lay down your arms, we will not let you sleep throughout the monsoon.”

Union Minister Shah chaired an inter-state security coordination meeting with the Director Generals of Police and Additional Director Generals of Police from Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Odisha on Sunday.

The meeting focused on intensifying operations during the monsoon, a period traditionally seen as a tactical pause by insurgents.

“There will be no respite this time,” Union Minister Shah asserted, ruling out any negotiations and urging militants to surrender and join the mainstream.

The Union Home Minister also laid the foundation stones for the National Forensic Science University (NFSU) campus and a Central Forensic Science Laboratory in Nava Raipur.

The NFSU campus, to be built on 40 acres at a cost of Rs 400 crore, is expected to bolster forensic capabilities in central India.

“Graduating from NFSU will be like a job guarantee,” Union Minister Shah told students, highlighting the institution’s role in modernising India’s criminal justice system.

He shared his meeting with children from the Maoist-affected areas and wrote a post on his official X account, “Those innocent children who were once given guns by Maoists are now being empowered with books,” he said, praising the initiative for integrating youth into the mainstream and fostering hope in conflict-ridden regions”.

He also met with students from Bijapur’s Usur and Gangalore development blocks, commending their journey toward integration into the mainstream.

Reiterating the Centre’s policy direction, the Union Home Minister said that the Narendra Modi government’s efforts to eliminate left-wing extremism have been successful due to strong inter-state coordination.

“It is because of this seamless coordination that the security forces are getting success against the Maoists,” he said, referencing the collective progress made in regions affected by Maoist violence.

Commending the leadership in the state, Union Minister Shah described the vigorous anti-Maoist campaign launched over the past 18 months as a landmark achievement of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Deputy Chief Minister and State Home Minister Vijay Sharma.

He credited both leaders for not just initiating the campaign with conviction but also for continuously steering its course, energising security forces, and ensuring a cohesive and resolute approach in the fight against extremism.

–IANS

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Gandhinagar, Feb 25 (IANS) With more than Rs 83 lakh in sales recorded across 38 municipalities so far, Gujarat’s statewide rollout of Swadeshi Mela (shopping festival) has gathered pace ahead of its March 15 deadline.

According to officials, Swadeshi Fairs are being organised under the Gujarat Urban Livelihood Mission, which functions under the Urban Development and Urban Housing Department.

The initiative aims to provide a structured marketplace for rural and urban artisans, handicraftsmen, self-help groups and small traders to showcase and sell indigenous products.

The government stated that by March 15, Swadeshi Fairs will be held in all 152 municipalities across the state.

As part of the arrangements, more than 1,500 stalls have been allotted to self-help groups, over 1,400 to street vendors, around 1,200 for food and refreshments, and more than 1,650 to other artisans selling indigenous goods.

So far, fairs have commenced in 38 municipalities, including those in the Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar, Gandhinagar, Rajkot, Surat and Vadodara zones.

More than one lakh visitors have attended these events, generating sales exceeding Rs 83 lakh.

The figures, officials said, indicate growing public participation in the ‘Vocal for Local’ initiative.

The officials noted that the programme builds on the success of plastic-free ‘Swadeshi Festivals’ organised during the Dussehra to Diwali period last year in 16 cities.

Those events attracted more than 40.50 lakh visitors and recorded sales of over Rs 10 crore.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called upon citizens to adopt indigenous products as part of the ‘Vocal for Local’ initiative aimed at building a self-reliant India.

The statement said the Gujarat government, under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, has undertaken initiatives including the Gujarat Atmanirbhar Yatra, G-Maitri Yojana and Mahila Udyog Sahay Yojana to strengthen support for artisans and small enterprises.

The government said the fairs are intended not only as trading platforms but also as a measure to strengthen the local economy by expanding opportunities for small producers and vendors across urban areas of the state.

–IANS

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Gandhinagar, June 2 (IANS) The Gujarat Police on Tuesday established a Public Relations Centre at Police Bhavan in Gandhinagar to provide a single-window mechanism for citizens seeking redressal of complaints and representations, with officials saying the initiative is aimed at improving transparency, accountability and public trust in the police system.

The centre was launched under the guidance of Director General of Police (DGP) K. L. N. Rao and is tasked with receiving complaints, applications and public grievances, coordinating with police units across the state and ensuring that matters are addressed within a defined timeframe.

Rao visited the facility to review its functioning and said the initiative was intended to strengthen the connection between citizens and the police administration.

“The Public Relations Office is not merely a centre for receiving citizens’ applications. It is an effective medium for reflecting the Gujarat Police’s spirit of ‘Security, Service and Trust’. Our priority is that every ordinary and poor person who walks up the steps of this office should return with hope and satisfaction of justice,” he said.

He added that district-level police authorities had been instructed to accord priority to applications received through the Public Relations Office and work towards their swift resolution.

According to officials, the centre was introduced to address a common problem faced by citizens who previously had to visit multiple offices to pursue their grievances.

Under the new system, all complaints are channelled through a single point of contact and processed in a structured manner. The procedure begins with the registration of visitors’ details at the reception desk.

Citizens are provided with an environment designed to facilitate a comfortable and stress-free hearing of their concerns. Senior officers then meet applicants in person, listen to their representations and record the details of their cases.

All complaints and representations received through the centre are formally registered and forwarded to the relevant district or city police unit, or to the concerned branch, for appropriate action.

Field units are required to submit reports within a stipulated period, following which the matter is examined and placed before senior officers for further review and decision-making.

The centre also operates a two-tier feedback mechanism. Detailed feedback forms are collected both at the office and district levels to assess service delivery, while applicants are contacted by telephone and informed about developments in their cases.

Officials said that since operations began in February, most of the complaints received by the centre have been resolved promptly and accurately.

One case highlighted by the department involved Bhavnagar resident Jigarbhai Bhatt, who approached the Office seeking assistance.

Following prompt follow-up by the office and support from Police Inspector Palak Patel and Police Sub-Inspector M. J. Patel, the applicant was facilitated a meeting with IPS officer Amita Vanani.

The accused in the case was subsequently arrested, and the grievance was resolved.

Another applicant, Nareshbhai Dulera from Sanand, described the service as “a ray of hope for justice for ordinary people” and called it “an excellent initiative launched in the public interest”.

Police officials said the Public Relations Centre is intended not only as a complaint-receiving facility but also as a mechanism to strengthen communication and trust between citizens and law enforcement authorities.

The initiative seeks to ensure that complaints are handled through a transparent process, while enabling applicants to track the progress of their cases and receive regular updates from the police administration.

–IANS

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