Happening today in Bengal: Mamata to receive Japanese D’Lit; Matua leader’s SIR fast

The conferment ceremony will be attended by vice-chancellors, senior academicians, artists, and invited dignitaries. Officials said the event has generated visible excitement in administrative and cultural circles, and will highlight cooperation between Bengal’s academic institutions and their Japanese counterparts.

Matua leader to join fast protest against SIR

TMC MP and Matua leader Mamata Bala Thakur will begin a fast-unto-death at Thakur Bari from Wednesday against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The fast was launched earlier by a group of Matua, Gosain, and Dalapati leaders demanding unconditional citizenship for community members. Several participants have fallen ill, with three protesters being admitted to Thakur Nagar Primary Health Centre on Tuesday. Mamata Bala Thakur, after her return from Madhya Pradesh, met them.

The fast has provoked sharp exchanges with the Centre. Union Minister of State Santanu Thakur, the BJP MP from Bangaon, accused the TMC of staging a “political drama”. He also said the central government would not grant citizenship to “extremists” and urged legal action against organisers. TMC leaders have condemned his remarks.

Protest and dharnas by nurses, civic bodies

Separate protests and demonstrations are scheduled to take place in Kolkata on Wednesday. A mass deputation will march from Salt Lake’s Karunamayee Metro ground to Bikash Bhavan at 1 pm to submit a memorandum to the Women & Child Development and Social Welfare department. The memorandum demands that the Manabik Bhata (disability pension) be raised from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 per month, and calls for stronger checks against fraudulent disability certificates and better provision of specialised schools for students with disabilities.

The agitators are also demanding proper conduct of specialized schools for students with disabilities under the jurisdiction of the School Education Department.

Nurses Unity, an organisation representing health workers, has called a sit-in at Swasthya Bhavan on November 12 from 11 am to 3 pm to press unresolved demands. CPI(M) central committee member Minakshi Mukherjee will address a Mass Rally in front of Bhowanipore Pathagar at 7 pm.