Calling West Bengal Pradesh Congress Commitee President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury s criticism of his concerns as unfortunate , senior Congress leader Anand Sharma on Tuesday said he believes in a civilised political dialogue even if there are differences or ideological issues. Sharma had earlier tweeted his concerns about Congress alliance with Indian Secular Front (ISF), a Muslim outfit headed by the cleric of a local shrine, in West Bengal and said alliance with ISF and other such parties is against the ideology of Congress and should have been discussed at Congress Working Ccommitee (CWC) , to which Chowdhury said, We are in charge of a state and don t take any decision on our own without any permission.
Staging an unprecedented protest against the price hike of petroleum products, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday rode an electric scooter to reach her office in the state secretariat Nabanno building in Kolkata s adjoining Howrah district. Banerjee was riding a pillion while Kolkata Mayor and State Municipal Affairs Minister Firhad Hakim drove the electric scooter from south Kolkata s Hazra crossing to Nabanno. Both were seen wearing helmets while the CM was adorned with a protest banners hung from both sides of her body. The Central government is increasing LPG and diesel prices every day. It is a serious matter of concern. The Central government will only reduce the prices for a few days when the elections are round at the corner, Banerjee said.
The CBI on Sunday served a notice to the wife of TMC leader and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee s nephew Abhishek Banerjee at his Kolkata residence asking her to join the probe in the coal pilferage case, a development that could further raise the political temperature in poll-bound West Bengal. The team is likely to question Abhishek Banerjee s wife Rujira Banerjee in connection with the case at her residence, sources said. The central probe agency had on Friday carried out a fresh round of searches in connection with the case, they said. The CBI had registered an FIR in November last year against the alleged kingpin of the pilferage racket Manjhi alias Lala, Eastern Coalfield Ltd General Managers Amit Kumar Dhar (of then Kunustoria area now Pandaveswar area) and Jayesh Chandra Rai (Kajor area) besides ECL Chief of Security Tanmay Das, Area Security Inspector, Kunustoria Dhananjay Rai and SSI and security in-charge Kajor area Debashish Mukherjee.
Soon after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) served notice to the wife of Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee in a coal scam case, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday said the people of Bengal cannot be intimidated with jail. Addressing an event celebrating the International Mother Language Day at Deshapriya Park here, Banerjee said, There are some leaders (in Delhi) who said they knew how to break the spine of Bengal. It is not easy to break our spine. Bengal taught me to fight bravely like a tiger. We cannot be intimidated with jail. The people who have fought against guns do not fear fighting a rat.
Read more about Govt trying to cut fuel prices, but onus also on state govts: Smriti Irani on Business Standard. Union Minister Smriti Irani on Sunday said the Centre is trying its best to reduce fuel prices and the Rajasthan government should also do its part.