West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday called newly appointed Governor R N Ravi a “BJP cadre” and alleged that outgoing governor C V Ananda Bose was forced to resign.
“Have you seen how C V Ananda Bose was removed? I know everything. He was threatened. They want to distribute money from Lok Bhavan. They want Lok Bhavan to be converted into a BJP party office. But everybody may not agree to Delhi’s whims and fancies,” Banerjee alleged while continuing her protest against the Election Commission.
Bose had submitted his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu on March 5, ahead of the Assembly elections in the state, without citing any reasons.
The Trinamool Congress chief claimed that she knew what Ravi did during his tenure as Tamil Nadu governor. “I heard he harassed Stalin and his government. Every day, he called them. I heard that he had to face many comments from the Supreme Court. He is a cadre of the BJP. But remember, West Bengal is a different place. You may have done whatever you wanted in Tamil Nadu, but you can’t do that here,” Banerjee said.
She also hit out at the Centre for “not allowing any governor to complete their term”. “Dhankhar (former vice-president Jagdeep Dhankhar) was removed and now this governor. After he became vice-president, what happened to Dhankhar, we all know,” she said.
Banerjee also issued a warning to the Centre, saying, “If you try to threaten us, we will ensure the fall of the BJP government.”
Mamata calls for protest against LPG price hike
Banerjee brought more than 10 voters onto the dharna stage, saying that their names were deleted from the electoral rolls after the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the state, even though they had valid documents. “What more do you want to do with West Bengal? People will give a befitting reply,” she said.
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Speaking from the sit-in demonstration at Esplanade, Banerjee also called for a procession on Sunday to protest the increase in the price of cooking gas amid the escalating conflict in West Asia. She appealed to people to come to the protest with kitchen utensils.
“Yesterday, the price of cooking gas was increased by Rs 60. Three days before that, the price of commercial gas was increased by Rs 49. The price of a large cylinder is now Rs 2,100, and that of a small cylinder is almost Rs 1,000. They said that you have to book LPG cylinders 21 days in advance. Will someone whose house runs out of gas go without cooking for 21 days? Don’t you think about these things first? What will people eat?” asked Banerjee.
“There will be a procession tomorrow. If there is no gas, then no cooking. If there is no gas, no food. That is why there will be a protest procession on International Women’s Day with pots, pans, bowls and other kitchen utensils. To protect humanity, tomorrow, mothers and sisters, take to the streets and protest. Wear a black saree if necessary. And keep these items in your hands. If possible, someone will bring a gas oven. If possible, bring raw grains in a basket,” she said.
Meanwhile, Banerjee announced that financial assistance under her government’s newly launched ‘Banglar Yuva Sathi’ scheme will be provided to its beneficiaries from Saturday. As per the scheme, those who have passed out from the state’s secondary schools and have yet to find a job will receive an allowance of Rs 1,500 per month. It was initially said that the money would be provided from April 1.
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“What was supposed to come in from April 1 will come in from today. You will get the Yuva Sathi money from today. Grants under Lakshmir Bhandar have been provided since February. We do what we say,” said Banerjee.
Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain.
Experience
Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express.
Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news.
Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions.
Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal.
Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla.
Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent.
Education
Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting.
Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University.
Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur.
Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More
