Kurukh, Kamtapuri, Rajbongshi, Kurmali get official language status

At the time when the Trinamool Congress Government has taken up different steps for the revival of endangered tribal languages, comes another welcome step.

With the Governor consenting to the West Bengal Official Language (Second Amendment) Bill, 2018, Kamtapuri, Rajbongshi and Kurmali have become formally accepted as official State languages. Earlier, Kurukh had achieved the status through the West Bengal Official Language (Amendment) Bill, 2018.

The State Assembly had passed the former Bill on February 28 and the latter on February 8 of this year.

These languages would be used as official languages in the districts, sub-divisions, blocks or municipalities where the speaking population exceeds 10 per cent as a whole or part of the district, like sub-division or block.

It may be mentioned that Kurukh is spoken by the Oraon tribal community. There are around 17 lakh people, who speak the language in the districts of Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, South Dinajpur and North 24-Parganas.

 

Source: Millennium Post

Bengal Governor praises Mamata Banerjee and State Govt

Governor K N Tripathi has congratulated the state government for the various measures it had taken to tide over demonetisation and hasty introduction of Goods and Service tax (GST). He was addressing the MLAs at the beginning of the Budget session at the West Bengal Legislative Assembly on Tuesday afternoon.

He congratulated Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for holding 350 administrative meetings and public distribution programmes across the state. He commented that with the state economy having barely recovered from the effects of demonetisation, manufacturers, suppliers, traders as well as consumers were badly hit by the introduction of GST.

But because of the leadership of Banerjee, the state could tide over these two major problems. He also mentioned that the dynamic Chief Minister strongly believes in individual freedom and has always resented any infringement on individual freedom or any compromise with the sanctity of the privacy of citizens.

He also congratulated the state government for peaceful holding of different festivals involving various communities. The Governor mentioned in his speech the great achievement of the state government, in implementing the Kanyashree project that has reached out to 45 lakh girl students. August 14 has been dedicated as Kanyashree Divas and the project has bagged the prestigious Public Service Award, given by the United Nations at its headquarters at The Hague, Netherlands.

He said through reforms in the tax collection mechanism and application of information technology, revenue collection has risen from Rs 21,128 crore to Rs 45,646 crore in just four years. Bengal is one of the few states that has surplus power generation capacity. Also, the farthest parts of the state are now connected by roads. The state government has taken up construction of infrastructure assets to the tune of Rs 12,000 crore, which will come up in the next 3-4 years and will give a huge boost to the economy.

 

বিধানসভায় রাজ্যপালের মুখে মমতার সরকারের প্রশস্তি

রাজ্যের বাজেট অধিবেশনের ভাষণে মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়ের সরকারের প্রকল্পের প্রশংসা করলেন রাজ্যপাল কেশরীনাথ ত্রিপাঠী।

এদিন রাজ্যপাল ভাষণের শুরুতেই মুর্শিদাবাদের বাস দুর্ঘটনা নিয়ে শোকপ্রকাশ করেন। পরে তৃণমূল সরকারের আনা বিভিন্ন প্রকল্পের প্রশংসাও করেন তিনি।

এদিন রাজ্যপালের প্রশংসায় উঠে আসে কন্যাশ্রীর বিশ্বজয়ের কথা। কন্যাশ্রী প্রকল্পে রাজ্য সরকার যে সাফল্য পেয়েছে, তা বিশ্বেও সমাদৃত হয়েছে। সেইসঙ্গে এদিন রাজ্যপাল প্রশংসা করেন রাজ্যের খাদ্যসাথী প্রকল্প, সেফ ড্রাইভ সেভ লাইফ, ইকো পার্ক নিয়েও রাজ্য সরকারের।

রাজ্যপালের কথায়, কলকাতায় এখন বিশ্ব সিনেমার অন্যতম প্রদর্শনী মঞ্চ। আইন-শৃঙ্খলা পরিস্থিতি নিয়েও রাজ্য সরকারের প্রশংসা করেন রাজ্যপাল। তাঁর কথায় উঠে আসে একাধিক পুলিশ কমিশনারেট গঠনের কথা। এমনকী বিশ্ববাংলা বাণিজ্য সম্মেলন নিয়েও তিনি প্রশংসায় ভরিয়ে দেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়কে। তিনি রাজ্য সরকারের নিজস্ব প্রতীক প্রাপ্তির পাশাপাশি ফিফা বিশ্বকাপ আয়োজনের সাফল্যও তুলে ধরেন তাঁর ভাষণে।

দার্জিলিংয়ে শান্তি ফিরে আসা প্রসঙ্গেও তিনি রাজ্যের ভূমিকায় সন্তোষ প্রকাশ করেন। রাজ্যের সরকার পাহাড়ে অশুভ শক্তির বিনাশ ঘটিয়ে শান্তি ফিরিয়ে এনেছে। এক্ষেত্রেও রাজ্য সরকার সাফল্য দেখিয়েছে। সেইসঙ্গে রাজ্যের অর্থনৈতিক সাফল্যের কথাও উঠে আসে রাজ্যপালের কথায়।

 

BJP trying to use Guv’s office for political purposes: Partha Chatterjee

Claiming that the Bharatiya Janata Party is trying to use the office of the Governor for political purpose, secretary general of the party Partha Chatterjee said that Trinamool Congress would protest if Raj Bhavan is used for political purpose.

He once again raised question on deployment of CRPF jawans near BJP party office without any permission from the state government.

“How could the CRPF jawans, whose duty is to provide security of BJP leader Rahul Sinha, were sent to the spot without permission of the state?” he raised the question.

 

রাজ্যপালের অফিস রাজনৈতিক ভাবে ব্যবহার করার চেষ্টা করছে বিজেপি: পার্থ চট্টোপাধ্যায়

রাজ্যপালের দপ্তরকে রাজনৈতিক উদ্দেশ্যে ব্যবহার করতে চাইছে বিজেপি, বৃহস্পতিবার এমনটাই বললেন তৃণমূল কংগ্রেসের মহাসচিব পার্থ চট্টোপাধ্যায়। তিনি ও বলেন যে তৃণমূল কংগ্রেস এর তীব্র বিরোধিতা করবে।

তিনি আবারও প্রশ্ন তোলেন রাজ্য সরকারকে না জানিয়ে কি করে আধা সামরিক বাহিনী মোতায়েন করা হল বিজেপির কার্যালয়ের বাইরে।

“বিজেপি নেতা রাহুল সিনহার সুরক্ষার দায়িত্তে থাকা আধা সামরিক বাহিনীকে কি করে রাজ্যের অনুমতি ছাড়া ঘটনাস্থলে পাঠানো হল?” বলেন তিনি

BJP has finally found its leader in ‪‎Bengal: Derek O’Brien

I usually write an opinion or analysis post, explaining my, or my party’s, position on an issue. Today, I’m going to break news: the BJP has finally found its leader in West Bengal and its face for the 2016 assembly election. The active politician who’s going to front for the party and in effect handle its campaign is Kesrinath Tripathi. As it happens, he is the governor of the state. And the incumbent in Raj Bhawan is supposed to be apolitical, and meant to be scrupulously neutral, especially in these days of so-called “cooperative federalism”.

Yes, governors have been misused by earlier governments, especially the Congress. Yes, it is a fact that unlike the President – who has key constitutional duties and is at least indirectly elected by legislators at the national and state level – the governor has nothing much to do. Raj Bhawans have been reduced to retirement postings for political has-beens.

We expected this culture to change, with the BJP-led government promising a relook at the utility of public positions, taking time to choose those it considered appropriate for a job (which is why the PMO is sitting on so many files and has still not filled so many crucial vacancies in the Central government, 18 months after coming to power). We expected that the Prime Minister and his team would be true to their promise of “cooperative federalism” and at least consult state governments and not send saboteurs to Raj Bhawan, but upright and apolitical people.

Instead we have got more of the same. Busy-bodies and failed politicians, those who couldn’t make it to the top rung of the BJP or were no longer useful to the current boss men of the party, have been kicked upstairs. Unfortunately, their instincts and their KRAs (Key Result Areas) have been defined by their appointing authorities in Delhi and are largely to do with sabotaging and harassing duly elected and popular governments in states, and using the Raj Bhawan to further the propaganda of the BJP.

Under Mr Tripathi, Raj Bhawan has become a hotbed of intrigue and virtually the state headquarters of the BJP. Almost every day, party leaders and ideologues seem to meet here to discuss new ways of needling the Mamata Banerjee government. The latest excuse is the unfortunately and condemnable violence, limited to a few pockets, that accompanied municipal polls last week.

The Trinamool Congress denounces such incidents, as long-term victims of political violence at the hands of CPI(M) goons, we are very sensitive to such concerns. The police is investigating and doing its job. The guilty will be punished. If it is found that a few of the trouble-makers have a link with the ruling party, it will not matter. As I write this, three people have already been arrested. But it is not for the BJP pracharak cum governor to poke his nose and play judge, jury and executioner.

On behalf of Trinamool, I must emphasise that the party doesn’t need to resort to violence to win elections. Mamatadi will lead us to victory, in the municipal elections and the assembly elections in a few months. We have won every election since 2008, and handsomely. Our record of development and our transparency is there for all to see. We are not a trigger-happy political party that provokes riots to win elections. Mr Tripathi and his political colleagues may be familiar with such practices but Trinamool is not and abhors such conduct.

Mr Tripathi is an honoured guest in West Bengal. He can be a guiding figure for our state. But he has to decide whether he is West Bengal’s elder statesman or Delhi’s Viceroy. He cannot be both. The Raj Bhawan shakha must stop.

Centre running parallel govt through governors: Mamata Banerjee

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday accused the Centre of running a parallel government in states through governors, and creating a communal charged atmosphere.

At a chief ministers’ conclave on cooperative federalism organised by the Delhi government, she said, “They are using the governor to run a parallel government and scuttle the work of elected chief ministers. I can understand that law and order in Delhi is under the home ministry, but how can the West Bengal Governor write to the Centre seeking central forces for municipal elections there?”

“People from the BJP are threatening us with arrest, saying the Election Commission is under them. The Prime Minister should look into this. One cannot bulldoze states in the name of governance,” she added.

“They (Centre) are making things communal, looking at the religion of people killed in accidents to vitiate the atmosphere. If two people die in West Bengal, the NIA is rushed to the state, but when 100 people died in Madhya Pradesh not a word is said because it has a BJP government. This is not good governance,” Mamata Banerjee said.

She advised the Centre to restrict itself to making policies and administering sectors such as defence and railways and “nothing else”. She also slammed the Centre for disbanding the Planning Commission, which she said was the brain child of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

“The government is running without any planning. They have also disbanded the National Development Council where the CMs used to get a common platform. You have formed NITI Aayog and made your own man its chairman…it’s not about our ideological differences but we are having issues in functioning,” she said.

Trinamool writes to the Rashtrapati on National Anthem

Trinamool Congress has written a letter to the President on India demanding the dismissal of the Rajasthan Governor for showing disrespect to the National Anthem of India.

Trinamool Congress MP and Deputy Leader in Rajya Sabha, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy has written to President Pranab Mukherjee against the Rajasthan Governor’s statement that had demanded the word “adhinayak“ be removed from the national anthem as he said that it was used by composer Rabindranath Tagore “to appease the British”.

The Trinamool Congress MP pointed out the governor’s statement violated the Constitution that he is supposed to uphold. Trinamool plans to take up the issue in the monsoon session of Parliament.

In his letter, the Trinamool Congress MP said that the Governor holds a constitutional post and according to the Article 159 of the Constitution, he is bound to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of India. The Article 51 (A) of the Constitution says to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the national Flag and the National Anthem. The Rajasthan Governor has violated both the Articles. Mr Roy said.

In his letter to the President, Mr Roy said: “It is common knowledge that a hate campaign was orchestrated by vested interested groups against the song `Jana Gana Mana‘ since 1911 when it was first written and poet Rabindranath Tagore had to explain the meaning and purport of the song by writing letters articles in Bengali periodicals like Bichitra on 20.11.1937 and Purbasha on 29.2.1939.”

Mr Roy recalled that Mahatma Gandhi, however, had paid rich tributes to the song in `Harijan’ magazine on May 19, 1946, saying it was not only an anthem but a prayer song of the nation.

The matter was informed to the party Chairperson Ms Mamata Banerjee and on her instruction, a letter was sent to the President. Acopy of the letter was also sent to the Union Home Minister.

In Delhi, Trinamool Congress Parliamentary Party Leader in Rajya Sabha and Chief National Spokesperson of the party Derek O’Brien has held a press conference in this issue and it was decided that the matter will be raised in the Monsoon session of the Parliament.

Bengal products on China shelves

Bengal products will now be found in Chinese markets -courtesy an MoU between Biswa Bangla Corporation and Haohong Logistics Corporation, a unit of the billion Yuan Haohong Group.

Two way trade

Biswa Bangla Corporation, developed by the Mamata Banerjee government, will have a permanent stall at Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province, to showcase Bengal products.

The MoU was signed in the presence of Yunnan governor Chen Hao, union minister of state for external affairs and Bengal finance and industries minister Amit Mitra. The Haohong Group has allotted a 100 sq m area in its industrial park.

Dr Mitra said: “Bengal handicrafts will now be available in China. This is a major step.”

Boost to tourism

The West Bengal tourism department also expects better inflow of Chinese tourists to Bengal following an MoU with the Yunnan provincial tourism corporation. The agreement was signed after chairman of West Bengal chapter, Indian Tour Operators Association, Debajit Dutta made a presentation on Bengal tourism.

Stronger ties between sister cities

 

Another MOU was signed between MSME Technology Centre and Kunming SME financial transaction service, which will act as the backbone for SME infrastructure in Bengal, said state MSME secretary Rajiva Sinha.

Earlier Kunming governor expressed interest in setting up an industrial park in Bengal which he feels should strengthen relationship with Yunnan.

Dr Mitra later said that the Yunnan governor has agreed to send an investors’ delegation to the next Bengal business summit. Mitra urged Yunnan investors to invest in the upcoming Bengal townships, one of the pet projects of chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

“We are building 22 smart cities on private-public partnership. I would request Chinese companies to invest here. Yunnan is very strong in food processing and cold storage infrastructure. We would require investment in these sectors as well,” he added.

CBI being used to crush the prestige of Trinamool: Partha Chatterjee

A delegation of senior Trinamool leaders – Partha Chatterjee, Subrata Mukherjee, Manish Gupta, Shashi Panja and Chandrima Bhattacharya – met the Governor on Friday.

Those involved in mushrooming of chit fund business in Bengal were now taking out rallies and shedding crocodile tears, Partha Chatterjee said while addressing the media after the meeting.

He said, “The Supreme Court has asked the CBI to investigate the scam. But in the name of investigation, the CBI is arresting only TMC leaders. If they feel that TMC leaders are culprits let them chargesheet them. But the CBI is being used to crush our prestige.”

“We have said that money should be returned to all people who have lost their deposits since 1980s in chit funds. Why the people under whose rule chit fund business started in state were not arrested,” he added.

“We talked about the way our minister has been arrested by CBI. The governor said neither he nor the Raj Bhavan knew about the arrest. Just like our chief minister and Assembly speaker were kept in dark about the arrest,” he said.

Stating that the TMC regime has arrested Saradha Group Chairman and returned money to five lakh duped investors, the minister said they urged the governor to see that the bill passed by the state Assembly is cleared by the Centre as early as possible.