TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee Seen Beside Modi on Day of Opposition’s EC Protest
On the day opposition parties marched to the Election Commission over alleged “vote theft” linked to the Statewide Integrated Register (SIR), senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) lawmaker Kalyan Banerjee was seen alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a government function in New Delhi. Banerjee, a six-term MP from Serampore, attended Monday’s inauguration of a newly built parliamentarians’ housing complex on Baba Kharak Singh Marg, where Modi formally opened 184 flats. Eyewitnesses said Modi greeted Banerjee with a smile, asking, “Kya Kalyanji, Kalyan hai to?” (“Mr. Kalyan, are you well?”), to which the MP replied affirmatively. Modi repeated the question, and Banerjee again responded positively. During a group photograph, Modi asked for chairs on the stage to be removed so everyone could stand together, personally moving one of them. Banerjee joined him in shifting the chairs, and in the final photograph the TMC MP stood next to the Prime Minister. The event was also attended by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Union ministers Manohar Lal Khattar and Kiren Rijiju, among others. Banerjee said he missed the opposition’s Election Commission protest because he was occupied with a Supreme Court case the TMC has filed over the SIR issue, and had informed party leader Mamata Banerjee in advance. As a member of the House Standing Committee, Banerjee had overseen interior furnishing for the new housing project’s final phase. The appearance comes eight days after Banerjee resigned as TMC’s chief whip in the Lok Sabha, a move accepted by Mamata Banerjee last week. His presence next to Modi has triggered speculation within TMC circles, with some questioning whether it was intended to exert pressure on the party. Banerjee’s associates deny this, noting he has publicly expressed regret over earlier critical remarks about the TMC chief and spoke to her several times in recent days. The optics of a senior TMC MP with Modi on a day the opposition staged a high-profile protest has added fresh fuel to political chatter in West Bengal.
IISER Kolkata dean quits after wife accused in PhD student’s suicide case, Researchers demand immediate arrest of accused woman
The dean of student affairs at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Kolkata has resigned after his wife, a faculty member, was accused of abetting the suicide of a 26-year-old doctoral researcher, officials and students said on Sunday. Research scholar Anamitra Roy, who was on the autism spectrum, died on Aug. 2, a day after attempting suicide inside a laboratory on the IISER campus in Kalyani, West Bengal. In a note recovered later, Roy alleged repeated harassment by fellow researcher Saurav Biswas and accused his supervisor, Anindita Bhadra, of ignoring his complaints. Bhadra’s husband, Ayan Banerjee, headed the institute’s anti-ragging committee in addition to serving as dean of student affairs – raising what students said was a conflict of interest. Student groups had demanded his removal from the post. IISER has now dissolved the anti-ragging panel and plans to reconstitute it, according to sources. “I also want an impartial probe,” Banerjee told reporters, adding he had stepped down “in the interest of fairness.” Roy’s note claimed his complaints to both his supervisor and the anti-ragging cell were not taken seriously. He expressed anguish over seeing those who mistreated him socialising normally with others, and said his request for an apology was ignored. Police in Nadia district have launched an investigation based on a complaint filed by Roy’s relatives, though no arrests have been made. IISER has set up an internal fact-finding panel in parallel.
Ex-vice president Jagdeep Dhankhar’s absence sparks concern, Sanjay Raut seeks answers
The unexplained absence of former Indian vice president Jagdeep Dhankhar from public view since his sudden resignation last month has prompted concern among opposition leaders, with Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut formally writing to Home Minister Amit Shah for clarity. In his letter, Raut said repeated attempts to contact Dhankhar had failed and there was no official word on his whereabouts or health. “From July 21 till today, there has been no information about the whereabouts of our (former) vice president. What is his current location? How is his health? There is no clarity on these matters,” Raut wrote. Dhankhar resigned as vice president on 21 July, the first day of Parliament’s Monsoon session – a move that surprised both government and opposition ranks. He also vacated his official residence soon after stepping down. Raut voiced fears for Dhankhar’s safety, saying “the nation deserves to know the truth” amid unverified rumours that the former vice president had been confined to his residence. He added that he may file a writ petition in the Supreme Court if the government fails to respond. Three senior opposition leaders – Congress’s Mallikarjun Kharge, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar and leaders from the Aam Aadmi Party – are said to have sought meetings with Dhankhar after his resignation but were unable to secure appointments. The Home Ministry has yet to comment on Raut’s letter.
Civil society group urges govt to block ICICI Bank minimum balance hike
A civil society forum has urged the Indian government to intervene in ICICI Bank’s decision to sharply raise minimum average balance (MAB) requirements for new savings accounts, calling the move “unjust and regressive.” In a letter to the finance secretary, the Bank Bachao Desh Bachao Manch said the private lender’s decision was detrimental to the government’s vision of inclusive banking and growth. Effective Aug. 1, the bank increased the MAB for new savings accounts by five times to 50,000 rupees in metro and urban areas, from 10,000 rupees earlier, according to its website. MAB in semi-urban branches was raised to 25,000 rupees from 5,000, and in rural branches to 10,000 rupees from 2,000. “This retrograde decision undermines the principle of inclusive banking,” forum conveners Biswaranjan Ray and Soumya Datta said in the letter, calling for an immediate withdrawal of the policy. Public sector banks typically maintain lower minimum balance thresholds and have waived them entirely for Jan Dhan accounts, a government-backed financial inclusion programme. Several state-owned banks have removed penalties for customers failing to maintain minimum balances. ICICI Bank did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Migrant worker from West Bengal found dead in Kerala, family alleges murder
A 27-year-old migrant worker from West Bengal was found dead in Kerala, prompting his family to allege that he was murdered, local officials and relatives said on Sunday. The victim, identified as Abul Hossain from College Para in Ward 7 of Falakata municipality in Alipurduar district, had travelled to Kerala on July 27 to work as a house painter, his family said. His body was recovered on Friday from bushes in the Kottakkal police station area, reportedly with his hands and feet tied. “We have been told the body was found bound. This is a murder. The police are investigating, and we demand a high-level probe,” said his uncle, Aminul Haque. Hossain’s relatives travelled to Kerala to identify the body. His funeral was held there on Sunday, according to family members. The incident has sparked concern in Falakata. Local Trinamool Congress leader Subhabrata Dey and Ward 7 councillor Bhagirath Mondal visited the family, pledging support. Mondal said the family is “very poor” and that the circumstances raised questions about possible harassment of Bengali workers in other states. The death comes amid heightened political debate over alleged mistreatment of Bengali-speaking migrants across India, with opposition parties accusing the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of fostering a hostile climate in some states. Police in Kerala have not yet confirmed the cause of death.
Delhi-bound Air India flight carrying MPs diverted after technical fault, says Venugopal
An Air India flight carrying several MPs, including senior Congress leader K C Venugopal, was forced to divert to Chennai on Sunday evening after a suspected technical issue, the airline has said. Flight AI2455, operating from Thiruvananthapuram to Delhi, took off shortly after 20:00 local time (14:30 GMT) but landed in Chennai at 22:35, according to the tracking website Flightradar24. Venugopal, who is chairman of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, described the experience as “harrowing” and claimed the aircraft “came frighteningly close to tragedy”. In a post on social media platform X, he said the Airbus A320 experienced “unprecedented turbulence” shortly after take-off. About an hour later, the captain announced a “flight signal fault” and diverted the aircraft to Chennai. “For nearly two hours, we circled the airport awaiting clearance to land, until a heart-stopping moment during our first attempt—another aircraft was reportedly on the same runway,” Venugopal wrote. He credited the captain’s “quick decision to pull up” for avoiding disaster, adding: “We were saved by skill and luck.” The Congress leader urged India’s aviation regulator, the DGCA, and the Ministry of Civil Aviation to investigate the incident and “fix accountability”. Air India disputed parts of Venugopal’s account, saying the diversion was a “precautionary” measure due to the suspected technical fault and poor weather. “A go-around was instructed by Chennai ATC (air traffic control) during the first attempted landing, not because of the presence of another aircraft on the runway,” the airline said in a statement. “Our pilots are well-trained to handle such situations and followed standard procedures throughout the flight.” The aircraft landed safely in Chennai, where it will undergo checks. Air India said alternative travel arrangements were being made for passengers and apologised for the inconvenience. The airline has faced several incidents in recent weeks involving technical snags on its aircraft.
Israeli strike kills five Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza; IDF claims Hamas links
An Israeli air strike on Gaza City late on Sunday killed five journalists working for Al Jazeera, the Qatar-based news network said, in an attack that also claimed two other lives. The network said the journalists – reporter Anas al-Sharif, Mohamed Krikeh, cameraman Ibrahim Zaher, Moamen Aliwa and Mohamed Noufal – were inside a tent for reporters near the main gate of Al-Shifa Hospital when the strike hit. Al Jazeera condemned the killings, calling them an attack on journalists carrying out their duty. The National Press Club in Washington also expressed condolences. Al-Sharif, 28, had been reporting from northern Gaza for years and was a well-known figure in Middle East journalism. A final message posted on his social media account after his death read: “If these words reach you, know that Israel has killed me and silenced my voice.” The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged targeting Al-Sharif, calling him a “terrorist” and alleging he was a senior operative in Hamas’s military wing. “Hamas terrorist Anas al-Sharif, who presented himself as an Al Jazeera journalist, was targeted. Intelligence, training rosters and payroll documents confirm his affiliation,” the IDF said in a statement. Al Jazeera has rejected such claims in the past, saying its journalists are being targeted for their reporting. The strike drew condemnation from rights groups and governments worldwide. Australia, which plans to recognise Palestine as an independent state next month at the United Nations General Assembly, also voiced concern over attacks on journalists.
