West Bengal

Kolkata, Oct 22 (PTI) The TMC on Thursday ruled out the possibility of supporting the demand for Gorkhaland, a day after it welcomed GJM supremo Bimal Guring to its party fold, with the outfit having walked out of the NDA, accusing the BJP-led dispensation of not fulfilling promises.

Senior TMC leader and Lok Sabha MP Saugata Roy said Gurung joined the Mamata Banerjee-led party, as it felt cheated by the saffron camp.

Siliguri (WB), Oct 19 (PTI) BJP national president J P Nadda Monday said the execution of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act has been delayed due to the pandemic and asserted that the law will be implemented soon.

Nadda, who was speaking at a meeting of social groups of north Bengal, accused the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal of indulging in "divide and rule politics" in the state to serve the political interests of her party - the TMC, unlike BJP which works for the development of all.

Kolkata, Oct 13 (PTI) The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday ordered 145 private schools here to offer a minimum 20 per cent reduction in fees across the board, while directing that non-essential charges for use of facilities not availed of will not be permissible.

Guardians of students of the 145 schools, mostly in an around the city, had moved petitions seeking reduction in school fees since only online classes are being held during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.

Kolkata, Oct 12 (PTI) Calling the BJP an "evil force" and the "biggest pandemic" that has struck the country, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday claimed that the saffron party was "trying to flare up tensions" in the state for its own political gains.

Banerjee, who is also the TMC supremo, further said that the BJP was not bothered about the well-being of people, and was only interested in seizing power.

Malda, Oct 11 (PTI) Several research scholars, postgraduates and engineering students in West Bengal have applied to the post of forest assistants, the qualification required for which is class 8 pass, a senior official said on Sunday.

The West Bengal government is hiring 2,000 'Bana Sahayaks' or forest assistants on a contractual basis to protect wildlife and prevent man-animal conflict.

Kolkata, Oct 8 (PTI) The Trinamool Congress continued on Thursday its protests against the alleged gangrape and murder at Hathras with members of its women's wing taking out a rally in the city demanding that BJP governments at the Centre and Uttar Pradesh take steps to ensure safety of women and minorities.

Kolkata, Sep 24 (PTI) Facing flak from BJP for alleged minority appeasement, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday doubled the annual financial assistance to Durga Puja organisers across the state to Rs 50,000.

She also announced a 50 per cent waiver in charges for consumption of electricity by the Puja committees in the state, who consume substantial power for the grand illumination during the five-day festival.

Kolkata (WB), Sep 23 (PTI) Four BJP leaders from West Bengal's Kharagpur, along with hundreds of their supporters, joined the Trinamool Congress on Wednesday, giving the ruling party in the state a fillip in the industrial region ahead of the assembly elections due in April-May next year.

BJP leaders Sailendra Singh, Ajoy Chatterjee, Rajdip Guha and Sajal Roy joined the TMC in the presence of Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Chandrima Bhattacharya, at the party's headquarters here.

Kolkata, Sep 22 (PTI) Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Tuesday arrived in Kolkata on a two-day visit to look into the organisational aspects of the RSS in West Bengal, where it has made deep inroads in the last few years.

A senior RSS official said that Bhagwat will hold closed-door meetings with functionaries of the organisation.

"He will meet functionaries at the RSS office. Due to the pandemic, he will not visit any other place. Issues related to our organisation and welfare work done during the pandemic will be discussed," the official said.

Kolkata, Sep 16 (PTI) A host of leaders, including health activist Rezaul Karim, joined the Trinamool Congress on Wednesday from other political parties.

Karim, a former Congress Doctors' Cell chief and CPI (M)'s Birbhum candidate in last year's Lok Sabha election, was welcomed to the party by its secretary-general Partha Chatterjee.