1. ‘Discord by RSS-BJP Helping Cong-CPM’
The RSS-BJP is working covertly for Congress in Jangipur and Behrampore by driving a wedge between Hindus and Muslims, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged on Wednesday.
“BJP will lose. This has prompted them to play hide and seek in Bengal. They are extending support to Congress in some places, CPM in others. In Jangipur, RSS-BJP is supporting Congress. I can never accept this. In Behrampore, RSS-BJP is supporting Congress,” Banerjee said.
(Source: The Times Of India)
2. ‘Rule By Fear’: Mamata’s Raid Jab At PM
Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday accused Narendra Modi of trying to rule India through a “reign of fear” and threatening all who oppose him as she slammed the Centre over searches at DMK leader Kanimozhi’s home.
“It’s a great shame that the BJP is using the central agencies against Opposition leaders and parties to try and harass them into submission,” the Bengal chief minister said at a rally in Kandi, Murshidabad.
According to the Trinamool chief, the country now had a Prime Minister “feared by everyone”.
(Source: The Telegraph)
3. Minister In ‘Brooms For Paramilitary’ Dust-Up
A purported video of Bengal minister Ratna Ghosh shows her asking women to “chase central forces away from polling booths with brooms if they commit any excesses” and asserting there is “nothing unfair in war”.
The BJP has complained to the Election Commission against the purported comments, made by Ghosh at a Trinamool workers’ meeting in Nadia on 15 April.
BJP chief Amit Shah cited the alleged comments and said they showed Trinamool believed in “violence and anarchy”. Ghosh did not respond to calls and text message seeking her comment on the row.
(Source: The Telegraph)
4. Trinamool Hopes Ride On Tourism
Trinamool has bet on tourism, hoping the sector’s growth in the past seven-and-a-half years will power the party ahead of rivals in the Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri Lok Sabha seats.
Since being elected to power in the summer of 2011, the Mamata Banerjee government has given impetus to the sector with initiatives to open new tourist destinations and boost infrastructure.
Voting in the Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri seats will take place on Thursday alongside Raiganj.
(Source: The Telegraph)
5. Sergeant Stops Debt-Ridden Man From Jumping Off Setu
A traffic sergeant who spends most of his day penalising traffic violators played a Good Samaritan on Tuesday night when he stopped a suicidal man from jumping off Vidyasagar Setu. The sergeant, Sujit Das, 35, counselled the man for over 40 minutes and took the help of civic volunteer Rizwan Parvez, who tip-toed to the spot to bring him down.
While patrolling on the bridge with a colleague, Das spotted a bike parked on one side of the bridge. Initially, he thought there had been some accident, but when he switched on the flash light, he noticed a man standing on the railing of the bridge.
(Source: The Times Of India)
6. Made A Grave Mistake, Was Driven By Emotion: Ferdous
Bangladeshi actor Ferdous Ahmed, who was compelled to return to his country on Tuesday after his visa was terminated for taking part in a political campaign here, said it was an unintentional error on his part. The actor, who has also been blacklisted by the Indian government, participated in a poll rally on Sunday for Trinamool’s Raiganj candidate, a move not allowed on his visa.
Speaking to TOI on Wednesday from Dhaka, Ferdous tendered his “unconditional apology to the Indian government and the people of India for committing a mistake, which should not have taken place in the first place”. “I committed a genuine mistake, driven by emotion. I will request the Indian government to revoke the visa cancellation and allow me to work in India again,” he said. Ferdous held a work permit for India that was valid till 2022.
(Source: The Times Of India)
7. CPM Worker Found Dead In Canal, Party Accuses TMC
In what was termed the first political murder during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Bengal, the body of Ajoy Mondal, a CPM party convenor in Patharpratima under Mathurapur constituency, was found in a canal at Lakkhinarayanpur on Wednesday.
According to family sources, the 52-year-old had attended a party meeting at Haripur on Tuesday evening and after having his dinner at home, he had left for fishing at night as part of his daily routine. His family members were worried when he did not return home even after 2.30 am. Later, his body was found floating in the canal early on Wednesday. His wife, Nandita, said, “My husband was stabbed in the neck. His body was thrown into the canal after he was killed.” Joggeswar Das, former CPM MLA from Patharpratima, alleged Trinamoolbacked goons had committed the crime as they had allegedly threatened the deceased to withdraw his nomination.
(Source: The Times Of India)
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