Connect with us
Tuesday,29-April-2025
Breaking News

National News

46,000 police posts lying vacant in West Bengal

Published

on

Kolkata, March 19: Approximately 46,000 active police posts are lying vacant in West Bengal as of now, according to information provided by the state police directorate to the Election Commission of India (ECI) through the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal.

Of the total 46,000 vacant posts, around 30,000 vacancies are for constables who form the backbone of the police force in the state, while the remaining vacancies are for other ranks.

According to sources from the state police, among the posts of other ranks the maximum vacancies are for the sub-inspector or equivalent ranks, who represent the lowest officer level in the force.

The ECI recently requested details of the current police strength, including vacancies, as part of its early preparations for the state assembly election scheduled for next year. In response, the state police directorate reported that the force’s existing strength stands at approximately 80,000 personnel, while vacancies account for over one-third of the total sanctioned posts.

The state police directorate has already forwarded the data to the Election Commission through the office of CEO, West Bengal. It has stated that the existing strength of the forces, including officers and lower ranks stands at around 80,000, while the total number of vacant posts stands at 46,000.

Statistically, this means that over one-third of the strength in the state police forces is lying vacant as of now.

However, the list provided by the state police authorities to the ECI does not include data on civic volunteers attached to the forces since as per rule civic volunteers cannot be used in election-related duties.

Furthermore, a directive from the Calcutta High Court prohibits their deployment in law and order operations. The state government has faced criticism in the past for using civic volunteers in roles beyond their authorized scope.

Meanwhile, sources from the office of the CEO of West Bengal said that based on the available strength of the state police forces, the Election Commission will decide on the security arrangements for the polls and more especially on the ratio of state police forces and central armed police forces (CAPF) for the election purpose.

National News

Dog whistle aimed at Muslim vote bank: Amit Malviya flags Congress social media post

Published

on

New Delhi, April 29: The BJP on Tuesday severely criticised the Congress party for its social media post, which it claims represents the “Sar Tan Se Juda (beheading)” mindset.

Amit Malviya, in-charge of the BJP’s National Information &Technology Department, said Congress leaves little doubt with its use of “Sar Tan Se Juda” imagery.

The Congress party on Monday put up a post on its official X handle @INCIndia, which is an image with a caption ‘At the time of ‘responsibility’ – Invisible (in Hindi loosely translated).

The image shows a man in a kurta-churidar with no neck or head.

Reacting to this post, Malviya said, “The Congress leaves little doubt with its use of “Sar Tan Se Juda” imagery. This is not merely a political statement; it is a dog whistle aimed at its Muslim vote bank and a veiled incitement against the Prime Minister. It is not the first time the Congress has resorted to such tactics.”

Malviya accused Rahul Gandhi of instigating violence towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Rahul Gandhi on multiple occasions, has both instigated and justified violence toward the Prime Minister. Yet the Congress will never succeed, for the Prime Minister enjoys the love and blessings of millions of Indians.”

“On the contrary, proverbially speaking, if anyone’s neck has been slashed, it is the Congress —now reduced to a headless hydra, flailing without direction,” the BJP leader said in conclusion.

The Congress post has created a flutter on social media, with many questioning the party over it.

The post comes days after the horrific terror attack on April 22, which claimed the lives of 26 people, including 25 tourists and one local.

Congress, in an all-party meeting on April 25, had assured the government of full support in the fight against terrorism. However, several of its leaders have been making controversial statements which are being highlighted by the Paksiatni media.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said that there should be no war with Pakistan. “There is no need for war. We are not in favour of it. Stringent security measures must be taken. That’s all,” he said on April 26.

A day after CM Siddaramiah sparked a row, his minister, R.B. Timmapur, triggered another controversy by saying that the terrorists would not have asked their targets’ religion before killing them in cold blood.

Timmapur, Karnataka’s Excise Minister, told the media, “A man who is shooting, will he ask caste or religion? He will just shoot and go. Think practically. He will not stand there, ask and then shoot,” he said.

The minister alleged that a “conspiracy” was being plotted to paint this as a religious issue. “I feel they didn’t ask about religion when they were carrying out the terror attack. In case they did, there shouldn’t be this madness of using such a statement to politicise the issue based on religion.”

Another senior Congress leader from Maharashtra, Vijay Wadettiwar, echoing Timmapur’s remarks, said, “The government should take responsibility for the Pahalgam Terrorist Attack. They (the government) are saying that terrorists killed people after asking them (about their religion)… Do terrorists have time for all this?… Some people say that this did not happen… Terrorists have no caste or religion.”

Jammu and Kashmir Congress president Tariq Hameed Karra also raised questions about going to war with Pakistan.

Another senior party leader from Kashmir leader Saifuddin Soz, said one should accept if Pakistan claims it is not involved until the investigation is complete.

Continue Reading

National News

Will send strong message of unity: Cong leaders back demand for special Parliament session

Published

on

New Delhi, April 29: Congress leaders on Tuesday stepped up their demand for a special session of Parliament, endorsing the call made by Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge in response to the brutal terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam.

The attack, orchestrated by ‘The Resistance Front’, an offshoot of the banned Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, saw terrorists open fire on a group of tourists in the Baisaran Valley, killing 26 people and injuring several others.

Rahul Gandhi and Kharge have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to convene a special session of both Houses of Parliament at the earliest to demonstrate a united national stand against terrorism.

Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit told Media, “This is a good thing. We will be able to raise our views together. In such a time, there won’t be any differences between the ruling and the Opposition; everyone will be united on this issue. It will send a good and strong message of unity to the world.”

“Whenever such things happened, special sessions were convened. So, it will be good if a special session is held soon,” Dikshit added.

Congress leader Pramod Tiwari also spoke to Media, saying, “Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge had said in the all-party meeting that the Congress party is with the government in India’s fight against terrorism. We will be with the government in whatever steps it takes. The special session will be welcomed by the Opposition.”

Congress leader Udit Raj further emphasised the need for the special session, stating that the government should have acted sooner.

“Now the matter becomes even more serious. If a terrorist was part of the Pakistani Army and their Defence Minister himself admitted that they had been providing training, and 26 people were killed in Pahalgam, necessary action must be taken,” he told Media.

“The government should call a Parliament session instead of the Opposition seeking it. It was Congress that demanded the all-party meeting. It seems the government only want to make allegations and not take action,” Raj added.

In his letter dated April 28, Rahul Gandhi wrote, “The terrorist attack in Pahalgam has outraged every Indian. At this critical time, India must show that we will always stand together against terrorism. The Opposition believes that a special session of both Houses of Parliament should be convened, where the representatives of the people can show their unity and determination.”

Kharge, the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, echoed Rahul Gandhi’s appeal, stating, “At this moment, when unity and solidarity are essential, the Opposition believes that it is important to convene a special session of both Houses of Parliament at the earliest. This will be a powerful demonstration of our collective resolve and will to deal with the brutal terror attack in Pahalgam on innocent citizens on April 22. It is our fond hope that the session will be accordingly convened,” his letter read.

Following the attack, the Central government convened an all-party meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and addressed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Rahul Gandhi attended the meeting and extended full support to the government’s proposed actions.

The Congress party assured the government of its complete backing to take necessary steps to avenge the killings of innocent civilians in the Pahalgam terror attack.

Continue Reading

National News

‘Join TMC, Become Citizen’, Amit Malviya takes jibe at Trinamool, Bengal CM

Published

on

Kolkata, April 28: BJP’s Information Technology (IT) cell chief and the party’s central observer for West Bengal Amit Malviya, on Monday, used an innovative cartoon with the tagline “Join TMC, Become Citizen” to accuse the West Bengal government and the ruling Trinamool Congress of making the state an open field for illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators.

Malviya has said the cartoon is in connection with the recent arrest of an illegal Bangladeshi infiltrator, Ahammed Hossain Azad, by the Enforcement Directorate officials. Investigation revealed that Azad was not residing in West Bengal illegally but was also involved in money laundering, as well as arranging fake Indian identity documents for illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators.

In the cartoon, a portrait of a woman (arguably featuring West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee) is seen behind a counter with the hoarding — “Seva Kendra- One stop for every document”.

The counter window has three taglines, namely — “Welcome New Voters, Join TMC, Become Citizen”, “AADHAAR, Voter ID, Ration, Pan”, and “No document required, no question asked”.

The counter board contains an additional tagline — “Special Assistance available for Rohingyas & Bangladeshi”.

Since the beginning of the new year, there have been several incidents of arrests in connection with operations being conducted in the state. Those arrested were involved in arranging fake Indian identity documents, including Indian passports, for illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators.

Last month, Kolkata Police filed a charge sheet in the case of the forged passport scam at a lower court in Kolkata, where it was mentioned that of the 130 individuals mentioned in the document, 120 are Bangladeshi residents and the remaining are Indian nationals.

The main charges against the Bangladeshi nationals are that they paid huge money to secure fake Indian passports.

The charges against the accused Indian nationals are that they played the roles of facilitators for arranging fake Indian identity documents, including Indian passports, for these infiltrators.

Earlier, Kolkata Police arrested Abdul Hai, a retired Assistant Sub-Inspector of the city police. The details of Hai’s involvement in the matter were also mentioned in the charge sheet.

It contained details of Hai’s financial gain through these 52 police verification clearances, where he was the on-ground inquiry or verification officer.

The cops investigating the fake Indian identity document rackets have identified a specific pattern.

Any infiltrator illegally crossing over to the Indian territory contacts the local agents, and after showing willingness to pay out hefty amounts for getting fake Indian identity documents, is first provided with safe shelters in different villages adjacent to the borders with Bangladesh in the state, both land and coastal.

Thereafter, the agents arrange for fake ration cards for them, which is the first step for making other identity documents. By virtue of the fake ration cards, other identification documents like EPIC, PAN, and Aadhaar cards are acquired. The last step is getting fake passports based on these fake identity documents.

Continue Reading

Trending