Ahead of the upcoming State Legislative elections in West Bengal, actress-turned-TMC politician Saayoni Ghosh was harassed and manhandled by her own party members, reportedETV Bharat. She will be contesting the polls from the Asansol Dakshin constituency.
During a campaign rally in Banpur on Sunday, Ghosh was seen running from her party members after they gheraoed her from all sides. She met several locals during the campaign trail, occasionally shaking hands and urging them to vote for the Trinamool Congress. In a video shared by ETV Bharat, TMC workers were seen huddling to stand closer to the actress, invading her private space and causing her discomfort.
Irked by the party workers desperately trying to get close to her, Ghosh ran away from them for about 50 metres. When they tried to chase her down, she yelled, “Ekdom picha thakun (Stay away from me).” A visibly uncomfortable Saayoni Ghosh then pointed fingers at the TMC workers and directed them to keep their distance. Her security guards then stepped in and formed a chain to keep the ogling TMC men away.
Netizens criticize the harassment of actress
The treatment meted out to the actress by her own party has left several netizens questioning how can the Trinamool Congress claim to protect women. A Twitter user, by the name of Bengali Babu wrote, “Despite repeated requests, TMC workers kept coming to her and Saayoni got annoyed and started running.” He added, “How can you respect the mothers and sisters of WB when you can’t respect the female candidates of your Party?”
Despite repeated requests,Tmc workers kept coming to her and @sayani06 got annoyed and started running ? How can you respect the mothers and sisters of WB when you can’t respect the female candidates of your Party#BanglaNijerMeyekeiChayhttps://t.co/SwsdEwCJpk
Saayoni Ghosh had posted picture of ‘condom on Shivling’
On February 18, 2015, the actress had tweeted a picture wherein a female character was seen putting a condom over the sacred Hindu symbol of a Shivling. She wrote, “Gods cudnt have been more useful.” Her tweet maligning Hindu culture was posted on the auspicious occasion of Maha Shivratri, which was observed on February 17 that year.
Saayoni Ghosh had subsequently issued an apology claiming that her account had been hacked. Following the announcement of her candidature from Asansol South, people had reshared the old tweet, asking the actress about her complete disregard of Hindu sentiments.
Chhichhore was released on September 6, 2019. The actor was found dead at his apartment on June 14, 2020 under mysterious circumstances. Initial reports suggest he committed suicide. The investigation in his death took several twists and turns. Currently, the Central Bureau of Investigation, Enforcement Directorate and Narcotics Control Bureau are investigating the case in their own capacity.
Hindu Houses in Delhi were attacked by a Muslim mob on Saturday night after a Muslim woman decided to marry a Dalit man and go live with his family. The incident occurred at Harijan Basti in Sarai Kale Khan, Delhi.
While the coverage of the incident in the mainstream media has been muted, OpIndia reached the spot to hear the victim’s version of events.
The victims told OpIndia that the rioters entered their area through the ‘Masjid waali Gali’. They told us that construction was underway near the Masjid and it was from there that the rioters picked the stones which were used to attack the Hindu houses.
The victims also told us that the Police told them to clear the stones from the area before the media could reach the spot. They told us that the Police cleared the area of the stones so that journalists could not see the stones when they arrived.
They said that the entire road was littered with stones. They said at least 30 vehicles were damaged during the onslaught. According to reports, the Muslim mob attacked Hindu homes because a Muslim woman had decided to marry a Hindu man.
The two had gotten married in secret but soon after, the girl’s family fixed her marriage with someone else. Therefore, the girl went to the local police station to record her statement and subsequently, left with the Hindu man.
It is reported that the couple and the parents have left the area to go live with their relatives elsewhere. Incensed by the marriage, the mob decided to attack the Hindu houses in the locality.
BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday vowed to ‘teach a lesson’ to Congress that they will never dare to forge an alliance with AIUDF. Sarma took a 5-km long padyatra from Rangagora Road in Assam’s Tinsukia town which culminated at the Manav Kalyan Bhawan. Addressing his supporters, Sarma asked whether the voters need colleges or madarsas (Islamic centres of learning). “Do we need Modi or Ajmal?” he asked.
Sarma further attacked Badruddin Ajmal of AIUDF and said that he needs to be sent to Bangladesh. “He thinks of women as machines to deliver babies. We think of girls’ and women’s prosperity. Perhaps, if Ajmal were to be pregnant, he would know the pain and will not ask women to keep on delivering babies,” he said. Earlier, too, Sarma had attacked Ajmal and alleged that he is getting funding from fundamentalist organisations.
In January this year, Sarma had asserted that once returning to power, the BJP government in Assam will work to bring education in madarsas at par with mainstream education in schools by introducing maths, computers and science. The steps against madarsas has attracted a lot of opposition from Muslim clerics.
He further added that the BJP government in state got only 3 years to work out of 5 since one year went in CAA protests and one in Chinese coronavirus. “Still BJP has brought a lot of development in three years, which the Congress failed to do in 40 years,” he said.
Attacking Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi’s Assam visit, he said that the Gandhi siblings are doing nothing but indulging in ‘poverty tourism’. As per EastMojo report, Sarma said that the Congress party does not care about the poor. Questioning why are people still poor despite 60 years of Congress rule, he said, “If they actually have love for tea workers, take 50 girls from tea workers and make them sit with Sonia Gandhi on same dining table and have food. Then I will acknowledge their care for tea workers.”
Assam will vote in two phases in the upcoming elections. First phase of voting is scheduled for 27th March and second phase is scheduled for 6th April, 2021. Results will be declared on 2nd May, 2021.
This Rigvedic phrase means, ‘there is nectar in water, there is medicine in water‘.
With this report, we bring to you all that you need to know about India’s efforts towards conserving water, bringing sustainable development and the Modi government’s goal of providing clean drinking water to every household by 2024.
India has long been reeling under the grave issue of water crisis; from lack of safe drinking water to unavailability of potable water to deteriorating condition of major rivers. These are just some of the issues India has been grappling with no solution in sight.
However, understanding the importance of water and water conservation in the socio-economic development of the country, the Government of India launched the Ministry of Jal Shakti in May 2019. Integrating various departments and ministries dealing with water resources and water supply, the Ministry of Jal Shakti spearheads a pan-Indian movement addressing water issues at several levels.
Today, on World Water Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to launch ‘Catch the Rain’ campaign.
Extending the Jal Shakti Abhiyan, PM Modi will be launching National Water Mission’s (NWM) campaign ‘Catch The Rain’ with the tagline “Catch the rain, where it falls, when it falls”. The campaign aims at encouraging the states and stake-holders to take steps towards rainwater harvesting by creating appropriate Rain Water Harvesting Structures (RWHS) suitable to the climatic conditions and sub-soil strata before the monsoon.
This campaign will see an integrated approach to check dams, water harvesting pits, removal of encroachments to increase a tanks storage capacity, removal of obstructions in the channels which bring water to them from the catchment areas and repairing of step-wells with the active participation of people.
To encourage public participation, states have been requested to open ‘Rain Centers’ in each district with dedicated mobile phone number of a rain water harvesting structure engineer.
Poster of National Water Mission’s (NWM) campaign “Catch The Rain”. Image source: Ministry of Jal Shakti
Atal Bhujal Yojna (ATAL JAL):
In this scheme for facilitating sustainable groundwater management, the government has laid emphasis on community participation for sustainable groundwater management in 8353 identified water-stressed areas in seven states of the country. The scheme envisions to improve source sustainability for Jal Jeevan Mission, contribute to government’s goal of ‘doubling farmers income’ and inculcating behavioral changes in the community to facilitate optimal water use. The scheme is being taken up in Gram Panchayats of Haryana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
Namami Gange:
Namami Gange is a comprehensive and integrated conservation mission with prime objective to contain and restrict pollution, conserve the Ganges and rejuvenation of National River Ganga. The program is built on multiple pillars such as sewerage treatment infrastructure, river-front development to boost tourism, river-surface cleaning, preserving bio-diversity, afforestation and industrial effluent monitoring.
A flagship program inaugurated in 2014 has witnessed some major developments.
Data source: Ministry of Jal Shakti
Har Ghar Jal Yojna:
The Har Ghar Jal Yojna aims at providing a functional household tap connection to every household by 2024. The entire mission aims at improving the lives and reduce the drudgery of women, especially girls by providing safe water in every household through a tap connection. It is to ensure that every rural house receives an adequate quantity of potable water on a regular and long-term basis. The program has marked monumental progress as, under the initiative, 84.84 lakh households were provided with tap connections in 2019-2020. 71 Lakh people in Arsenic contaminated areas and 5.35 Lakh people in Fluoride contaminated areas, were provided safe drinking water in the same duration, and also villagers are being skilled as masons, plumbers, electricians, etc. so as to ensure long-term maintenance of water supply systems. In yet another thoughtful step, approximately five women in every village are trained to check the quality of water supply using simple ready-to-use test kits.
Functional Household Tap Connections provided under Jal Jeevan Mission. Image source: Jal Jeevan Mission Report
Jal Shakti Abhiyan:
Led by the Minister of Jal Shakti, officers, groundwater experts and scientists from the Government of India are working together with state and district officials in the most water-stressed districts for water conservation and water resource management by focusing on extensive implementation of: water conservation and rainwater harvesting, renovation of traditional and other water bodies / tanks, reuse and recharge of bore well structures, watershed development and intensive afforestation.
Community-led step well rejuvenation in Jalore, Rajasthan. Image source: Jal Jeevan Mission Report
Currently 28 schemes and programs are active under the Ministry of Jal Shakti focusing on irrigation, flood management, ground water management, river basin management, hydro plants and many more.
The Philippines Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has demanded a complete withdrawal of over 200 Chinese vessels from a South China Sea reef which is claimed by the Philippines. The Philippines Defense Secretary claims that the vessels were manned by militias and accuses China of a “ clear provocative action of militarizing the area.”
“We call on the Chinese to stop this incursion and immediately recall these boats violating our maritime rights and encroaching into our sovereign territory,” said Defense Secretary Lorenzana in a statement, making no assertions as to whether the Philippines will uphold its territorial sovereignty. According to a Philippine government watchdog, about 220 Chinese vessels are moored at Whitsun Reef, a reef that China also claims. Pictures of these Chinese vessels on Whitsun Bay were released by the watchdog.
A picture taken on March 7 2021 by the Philippines Coast Guard depicting some of the over 200 Chinese vessels moored at Whtisun Bay
We view with grave concern the presence of 220 Chinese militia boats in the Julian Felipe Reef (internationally known as Whitsun Reef, located within Union Reefs) in the West Philippine Sea. For more: https://t.co/swxfNO1Zr8pic.twitter.com/Wfbqwf7WSN
Lorenzana has added that the presence of 220 Chinese vessels in The Philippines’ EEZ is a matter of grave concern. He has added that China should immediately recall those vessels as they violating their territory.
The Philippines has filed an official diplomatic protest over the Chinese presence on the disputed reef, according to Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin. The location of the disputed reef, which is called Julian Felipe by the Philippines is about 324 kilometres west off the coast of the western Philippine province called Palawan. According to the Philippine government watchdog, the reef is within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone and the Philippines “enjoys the exclusive right to exploit or conserve any resources.”
The watchdog goes on further saying that the increased number of Chinese vessels are “a concern due to the possible overfishing and destruction of the marine environment, as well as risks to the safety of navigation.” China is yet to issue a comment on this dispute.
Critics of Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte have long accused of being too close to China, citing his refusal to demand compliance from China over an international arbitration which invalidated China’s claims over virtually the entire South China Sea. “When Xi says ‘I will fish,’ who can prevent him?” Duterte was quoted two years ago, explaining his approach to China. Duterte has also credited diplomatic talks with China for allowing the return of Philippine fisherman to fishing grounds from where the Chinese drove them away.
Philippines has grown closer to China especially due to the Coronavirus pandemic, with the Philippines seeking infrastructure funds, trade and investments and COVID-19 vaccinations from China.
On Tuesday (March 16), about 50 people fell ill, after drinking contaminated water in the Shashi Shekhar Bose road area in Bhowanipore in South Kolkata. Bhowanipore is the Vidhan Sabha constituency of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
As per reports, the tap water in Ward No.73 and Ward No.74 of Bhowanipore got contaminated with sewage from a nearby drain. As a result, about 50 people developed severe diarrhoea and had to be hospitalised. Several infants were also infected due to the consumption of polluted water. Over a span of two days, the number of infected individuals rose to 55. Three people, including a 5-year-old child, died due to the contamination.
Following the outbreak of diarrhoea, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) had sent water trucks to Bhowanipore and directed the locals to not use tap water. The municipal authorities initiated a drive to clean water tanks and sewers in the area. Besides Bhowanipore, 12 inmates have been infected with diarrhoea in Alipore Women Correctional Centre.
(Video Courtesy: Youtube/ABP Ananda)
Contamination not cause of death: Firhad Hakim
“Contamination has occurred. I don’t disagree. But, then, a situation of panic was created. It is not normal for anyone to die by drinking contaminated water. The sewage might have contaminated the tap water due to blockage caused by plastic. This might lead to stomach ailments but connecting the fatalities to the contamination is wrong,” claimed Kolkata Mayor and TMC leader Firhad Hakim.
Kolkata Municipal Corporation ‘rules out’ water contamination
KMC member Mainak Mukherjee even alleged that the water was not contaminated at all. “We had sent water samples to the laboratory run by the Health Department. We did not find any evidence of contamination”, he said. This is despite the fact that the locals have complained about stinky, dirty water pouring from their taps. Meanwhile, the Municipal authorities have commenced the work of finding leaking underground water pipes.
BJP stages protest against water-borne fatalities in Bhowanipore
The BJP has launched a protest, following allegations of water contamination. While hitting back at the Trinamool Congress administration, BJP leader Shashi Agnihotri said, “Ward No. 73 is the residence of the Chief Minister. She has her party co-ordinator and Chairman here. Despite this, such an incident has occured here. This is why we are protesting against it. “
Sensors installed to monitor water quality
In the aftermath of fatalities, the Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (Hideo) has been installing sensors in overhead tanks to track the water quality. The body has directed the cleaning of public toilets and overheads tanks in markets in the New Town area. It has also asked the residents to clean tanks and underground reservoirs, every 3 months.
An official informed, “There are 23 overhead water tanks in New Town. We are installing smart sensors in nine water tanks for random checking and monitoring of the water quality. Reports will be generated every 24 hours on the water quality in these tanks,” said an official.
After former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh alleged that tainted police officer Sachin Vaze had a meeting with Anil Deshmukh wherein he was asked by the Home Minister to extort money from business owners in Mumbai, NCP chief Sharad Pawar has come in the defence of Deshmukh, alleging that he was in the hospital from February 6-16 and was later under quarantine from February 16 to 27.
Addressing the media amid a political storm over former Mumbai police chief Param Bir Singh’s corruption allegations against the home minister, Pawar said, “Anil Deshmukh was in the hospital from February 5 to 15 and from February 15 to 27, he was in home isolation in Nagpur.”
If you see the former Commissioner’s letter, he mentions that in mid-February he was informed by certain officers that they got such and such instructions from Home Minister…From 6th-16th Feb, Mr Deshmuklh was admitted in the hospital because of Corona: NCP chief Sharad Pawar pic.twitter.com/9J1PNyZ7Vr
Essentially, Sharad Pawar rubbished the allegations made by Param Bir Singh in his letter about the meeting between Anil Deshmukh and Sachin Vaze, claiming that the Maharashtra Home Minister was down with coronavirus during the period February 6 to 16.
However, Pawar was caught off-guard when the journalists told him that Deshmukh had attended a press conference during the said time period. During the press conference, when journalists and reporters informed the NCP chief that Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh had organised a press conference on February 15 and that he was not in a hospital, Pawar appeared baffled as he reiterated his statement that Deshmukh was hospitalised during the said period. Pawar then went on to chastise the reporters for diverting the issue.
#WATCH: NCP chief Sharad Pawar replies to questions over BJP’s Amit Malviya’s tweet that Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh was holding a press conference on Feb 15th, as opposed to the NCP chief’s statement that he was admitted to hospital at the time. pic.twitter.com/7f4lYLIdaV
Anil Deshmukh meets Congress delegation on February 8, convenes a press conference on February 15
However, even as Pawar jumps in the defence of his party man Anil Deshmukh, it is important to note that the Maharashtra Home Minister had addressed a press conference on February 15. The same was shared by Deshmukh on his Twitter page. In fact, the press conference was related to the celebrities coming out in support of the Indian government after popstar Rihanna and some international names had deviously tried to internationalise the ongoing ‘farmers’ protests.
Prominent Bollywood personalities Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgan, Suniel Shetty, Karan Johar, Ekta Kapoor, Kailash Kher and several others have called for unity in the light of comments made by several international figures, including singer Rihanna and activist Greta Thunberg, over the ongoing farmers’ protests. Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh had then called a press conference in which he said that he had called an inquiry into the matter to ascertain if the BJP IT cell was involved in the case.
असून सचिन तेंडुलकर यांना संपूर्ण देशातील जनता मानत असल्याने त्यांच्या चौकशीचा प्रश्नच उदभवत नाही. या ट्विट प्रकरणात भाजपच्या आयटी सेलचा प्रमुख आणि इतर १२ इन्फ्लुएन्सरचा समावेश असल्याचे महाराष्ट्र पोलिसांच्या प्राथमिक तपासात समोर आले आहे. त्यानुसार पोलीस कार्यवाही करत आहेत. (२/२)
It is also noteworthy to mention that on February 8, a delegation of the Congress party had met Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh to assert that Indian celebrities reacted to Rihanna’s tweet under pressure from the Bharatiya Janata Party. Clearly, Deshmukh was not hospitalised as alleged by Sharad Pawar in his recent press conference.
Deshmukh rushes in the defence of Sharad Pawar, addressed press outside the hospital
After Sharad Pawar came in the defence of Anil Deshmukh, it was the latter’s time to defend the former. After questions were raised of Sharad Pawar on the hospitalisation chronology he mentioned, Deshmukh has now come forward to issue a clarification. The Maharashtra Home Minister said that the press conference he had addressed on February 15 was from outside the hospital after he got discharged on February 15th.
I was in home quarantine from February 15th to 27th. I stepped out of my house for the first time on February 28th: Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh
“A few journalists were waiting for me at the hospital gate after I got discharged on 15th February. I was feeling low and weak so I sat on the chair there and responded to their questions. Then I went straight to my car and went home,” Deshmukh said.
“I was in home quarantine from February 15th to 27th. I stepped out of my house for the first time on February 28th” he said.
Anil Deshmukh had paid last respect to his security guard on February 18
However, soon after he claimed that he was quarantined raised questions over a tweet posted by him on February 18 where he could be seen paying tributes to a police officer who worked as a security guard at his bungalow in Nagpur.
My wife Arti Deshmukh & I paid our last respect to police officer Sanjay Naranware who passed away in a tragic accident. He worked as a security guard at my bungalow in Nagpur. With Sanjay’s departure, we have lost one of our family members. We also met his family& consoled them. pic.twitter.com/pRpLdrPPvn
Clearly, the minister was not under quarantine as claimed by him and Sharad Pawar. After Param Bir Singh’s allegations, the haste with which senior political leaders in NCP and the Maharashtra government have been coming up with defences and clarifications has further deepened the mystery.
Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh has moved the Supreme Court demanding an investigation into the “various corrupt practices” of Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh. Earlier, in a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, he had accused Deshmukh of instructing Sachin Vaze to collect Rs. 100 crore from business establishments every month.
BREAKING: Former Police Commissioner @MumbaiPolice Parambir Singh moves #SupremeCourt seeking probe into allegations made by him in his letter to CM Uddhav Thackeray @CMOMaharashtra. Plea was filed today
Param Bir Singh seeks an “unbiased, uninfluenced, impartial and fair investigation in the various corrupt malpractices of Shri Anil Deshmukh, the Hon’ble Home Minister of Government of Maharashtra, before the evidences are destroyed”. He will be represented in the matter by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi.
The Mumbai cop had created a lot of stir after writing a letter to CM Thackeray on the 20th of March. He said in his letter, “Sachin Vaze, who was heading the Crime Intelligence Unit of the Crime Branch of Mumbai Police was called by Shri Anil Deshmukh, Hon’ble Home Minister, Maharashtra, to his residence several times in the last few months and repeatedly instructed to assist in the collection of funds for the Hon’ble Home Minister.”
He added, “The Hon’ble Home Minister expressed to Shri Sachin Vaze that he had a target to accumulate 100 crores a month. For achieving the aforesaid target, the Hon’ble Home Minister told Shri Sachin Vaze that there were about 1750 bars and restaurants and other establishments in Mumbai and if a sum of 2-3 lakhs was collected from each of them, a monthly collection of 40-50 crores was achievable.”
Anil Deshmukh had promptly denied the allegations and claimed that Param Bir Singh was making false allegations to avoid legal consequences over his own involvement. Sachin Vaze is currently in prison for his alleged involvement in the Mansukh Hiren death case and the Antilia Bomb Scare.
The Mahisya community in West Bengal has become central to the aspirations of the Trinamool Congress and the BJP in the state. Home Minister Amit Shah, announcing the BJP’s manifesto for the assembly elections, promised that the Mahisya community and Tilis will receive the benefits of OBC reservations should the BJP come to power in the state.
The Mahisyas dominate constituencies in South Bengal, in areas from where the BJP primarily derives its strength in the state. It is numerically significant in the border areas of North and South Bengal, where the BJP has performed extremely well in the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections.
The Trinamool Congress has promised OBC reservations for the Mahisyas as well, however, since they have been in power for a decade and yet, not implemented the same, it is likely to work in BJP’s favour.
The Mahisyas themselves have a complicated relationship with the backward class categorisation. Jogendranath Bhattaharya in his book on the castes and sects in 1896 described the Mahisya community as a ‘fairly advanced caste’ with a fair number of quasi-royal families in Medinipur and lawyers and University graduates.
Anirban Bandyopadhyay, a scholar on Mahisyas, writes that it was the Chashi Kaibartas who assumed the Mahisya surname sometime in the 1890s. The name itself indicates descendants of an inter caste marriage between a Kshatriya man and Vaishya woman.
Until 1931, however, the Mahisyas were considered a “depressed class”, the term that was substituted by “Scheduled castes” in independent India. Birendranath Sasmal, the most popular Mahisya leader and a rival to Netaji Bose for the position of Mayor of Kolkata in the 1920s, had written to census authorities saying that he did not wish for the Mahisyas to be counted among the “depressed class”.
Sasmal wanted the Mahisyas to be considered as equal to the Upper Castes. The family of Rani Rashmoni, who appointed Ramkrishna Paramhans as the chief priest of the famous Dakshineshwar Temple in Kolkata, belonged to the community. The Mahisya community is greatly diverse and in the 1960s, emerged as the King maker in Bengal politics.
However, since the 1970s, their influence has been on the wane. But the community itself has been divided on the matter of reservations and some well-off among them had gone to Court against the initiative. They have, nonetheless, appeared to have come around since then.
Once again, the Mahisya Community is at the center of Bengal politics. The OBC reservations, if it so happens in the future, would impact others currently in the OBC category. Muslims, who enjoy OBC reservations in West Bengal, could end up being the most impacted.
