West Bengal CM accuses BJP of using Army to dismantle protest stage in Kolkata
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of “politically misusing” the Indian Army after soldiers attempted to dismantle a stage erected by her Trinamool Congress (TMC) party at central Kolkata’s Dharmatala, near the Gandhi statue. The stage had been set up as part of weekly demonstrations by the ruling party to protest what it calls discrimination and harassment faced by Bengali-speaking migrant workers. Army personnel began removing the structure around midday, saying the party’s permission to keep it in place had expired, according to defence sources. Banerjee rushed to the site after being informed, accusing the BJP-led federal government of orchestrating the move. “They cut our microphone connections and broke the stage. The Army is not at fault; they are acting under Delhi’s instructions,” Banerjee told supporters. “When the Army has to follow BJP’s orders, it raises questions about where the country is heading.” Banerjee, who has often clashed with the central government over federal powers, said the protest would now be shifted to Rani Rashmoni Road, another designated venue for political rallies in Kolkata. The Army did not immediately comment beyond confirming that the temporary structure’s permission had lapsed. The BJP has not responded to Banerjee’s allegations.
West Bengal Speaker bans lawmakers from entering assembly with personal security guards
Lawmakers in West Bengal will no longer be allowed to enter the state assembly accompanied by personal security guards, Speaker Biman Banerjee said on Monday, amid a legal dispute over security arrangements for ruling and opposition members. Banerjee said the only exception would be the chief minister’s security detail, noting that they do not carry arms inside the assembly. Similar rules are in place in India’s Lok Sabha and other state legislatures, he added. The decision comes after the Calcutta High Court sought affidavits from Banerjee and Assembly Secretary Sukumar Roy following a petition filed by Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and BJP legislator Shankar Ghosh. The petitioners argued that while ruling Trinamool Congress lawmakers were allowed to enter with state police personnel, BJP legislators were denied entry with their Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) guards. Justice Shampa Sarkar of the high court questioned the disparity, asking why Trinamool lawmakers were permitted to bring state police into the assembly but BJP members could not be accompanied by central force personnel. Banerjee’s announcement came on the opening day of a special assembly session. He said the new rule would apply equally to all lawmakers regardless of party affiliation. BJP legislators, who typically receive central security, have said their guards are required to remain outside the assembly complex during sessions, housed in temporary camps. Trinamool legislators, by contrast, are protected by state police.
Powerful earthquake kills hundreds in Afghanistan, tremors felt across region
A powerful earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late on Sunday, killing at least 600 people and injuring more than 1,000, local media reported, as officials warned the toll could rise in remote mountainous areas. The 6.3-magnitude quake hit at 11:47 p.m. local time near Nangarhar province, about 27 km northeast of Jalalabad, at a shallow depth of eight kilometers, the U.S. Geological Survey said. Shaking was felt as far away as Pakistan, India, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, with aftershocks rattling New Delhi and parts of Pakistan. Afghanistan’s government said 250 people had been confirmed dead and 500 injured, while state broadcaster Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA) put the toll at more than 600 killed and 1,000 injured. The discrepancy could not be immediately reconciled. Rescue operations were hampered by landslides and damaged infrastructure in Kunar province, where heavy rains and flooding earlier this month had already battered roads and villages. The defense ministry said it dispatched 30 doctors and 800 kg of medical supplies to the affected area. Taliban minister for disaster management, Mullah Nooruddin Turabi, traveled to the region to oversee relief efforts. Hospitals in nearby towns reported being overwhelmed by the influx of casualties. “The number of wounded is rising every hour,” a provincial health official told Press, asking not to be named because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Afghanistan sits on the seismically active Hindu Kush region at the junction of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates, making it prone to devastating earthquakes. In October 2023, a 6.3-magnitude tremor in western Afghanistan killed nearly 2,000 people.
