Politics
CBI to again quizz Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee next week
The CBI investigating the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) recruitment scam is all set to interrogate former state education minister and Trinamool Congress secretary general Partha Chatterjee with a fresh set of questions next week again.
Chatterjee, currently the state commerce & industries minister, had faced the first round of questioning on May 18, for four hours. CBI has already communicated to Chatterjee that the latter will have to be present at the agency’s Nizam Palace office again next week and in all probability, on May 24.
As per CBI sources, the decision to greet Chatterjee with a fresh and longer list of questions has been prompted by two reasons. The first reason being the inconsistencies in Chatterjee’s statements to the CBI in the first round of questioning.
A CBI official, who did not wish to be named, said that Chatterjee, as the-then state education minister was not aware of the day-to-day functioning of the screening committee of WBSSC, whose members are perceived to have done the main paperwork relating to merit list fudging.
“Interestingly, the screening committee was constituted by Chatterjee himself as the-then education minister. So, his ignorance about the day-to-day functioning of the committee, as claimed by him, is something which is not really conceivable,” the official said.
The second reason is an important statement made to CBI by the West Bengal minister of state for education Paresh Chandra Adhikari, who is also facing the central agency grilling following alleged recruitment of his daughter Ankita Adhikari, as a higher secondary political science teacher in a state-run school, flouting all norms. Ankita Adhikari, is alleged of securing the job without qualifying in the merit list and even without appearing for the personality test.
Adhikari told CBI that while his daughter’s appointment took place, although he had joined Trinamool Congress by then, he was not the minister of state for education. Adhikari also told the CBI that only WBSSC authorities can answer on the details of his daughter’s appointment.
To recall, Paresh Chandra Adhikari was the acting food minister of West Bengal from 2006 to 2011 during the previous Left Front regime led by the-then chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. In August 2018, he joined Trinamool Congress leaving his earlier party of All India Forward Bloc and he was greeted in the party by the- then state education minister and Trinamool Congress secretary general, Partha Chatterjee.
Within 72 hours from his joining Trinamool Congress, his daughter’s name figured in the merit list. After the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections, he was made the minister of state for education.
Incidentally, when Ankita Adhikari got the appointment, Partha Chatterjee, as the-then state education minister had the overall authority of WBSSC and hence in the second round of questioning next week, he will have to face queries relating to this development.
CBI sources said that if necessity arises, at a later stage Chatterjee might be questioned after placing him face-to-face with Paresh Chandra Adhikari and the members of the screening committee to avoid further inconsistencies.
National News
10 Oppn MPs suspended for ‘disrupting’ Waqf Bill discussion in Parliamentary Committee
New Delhi, Jan 24: The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) meeting on the Waqf Amendment Bill on Friday turned chaotic as opposition MPs were suspended for the entire day following a heated argument. It happened during a discussion on the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024.
At the same time, the Opposition MPs alleged that they were not given sufficient time to study the draft which was brought up for discussion.
Chaired by BJP MP Jagadambika Pal, the panel meeting was in fact set to hear a delegation led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq from Kashmir. But before the process, the meeting was disrupted by opposition MPs who raised concerns about “the speed with which the government wanted to pass the bill”, “especially considering the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections”.
As the disruption escalated, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey proposed the suspension of 10 opposition MPs for the day. The panel subsequently accepted Dubey’s proposal.
MPs namely Kalyan Banerjee, Mohammad Javed, A. Raja, Asaduddin Owaisi, Nasir Hussain, Mohibullah, M. Abdullah, Arvind Sawant, Nadimul Haque, and Imran Masood were among the suspended members. Dubey accused the opposition of using unparliamentary language. He alleged that they were trying to suppress the majority’s voice.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who appeared before the committee after the suspension, expressed his strong opposition to the Waqf Amendment Bill, stressing that the government should not intervene in religious matters. Farooq further pointed out they hoped their suggestions would be heard and implemented. The aim should be to ensure that Muslims do not feel marginalised by any proposed changes, he remarked.
Before being suspended, opposition MPs, including Kalyan Banerjee of TMC and Congress member Syed Nasir Hussain, walked out of the meeting. They accused the proceedings of becoming a “farce.” They demanded that the meeting be postponed until January 30 or 31 to allow for a detailed, clause-by-clause discussion.
Banerjee even described the atmosphere as resembling an “undeclared emergency” where the chairman was not listening to anyone.
Dubey meanwhile claimed that the opposition’s behaviour was against parliamentary traditions, and their attempts to disrupt the meeting were an affront to democratic norms.
Arvind Sawant, a Shiv Sena (UBT) MP, flayed the “hasty handling” of such an important Bill, which, according to him, could potentially cause unrest in the country. He asked as to why the Bill was being rushed through the committee process when there should be a proper discussion.
Entertainment
Who Is Swaalina? All About Rapper Emiway Bantai’s Actress Wife
Mumbai: One of the biggest rappers in India, Bilal Shaikh, popularly known as Emiway Bantai, took the internet by storm as he announced his wedding with model-actress Swaalina on Thursday. Congratulatory wishes poured in for the couple as the two shared their photos.
In the late hours of Thursday, Emiway took to his Instagram handle to share a slew of photos in which both Swaalina and he can be seen dressed in ornate wedding outfits. The two twinned in violet outfits and flashed their brightest smiles at the camera. A photo even shows Emiway putting a garland around Swaalina.
“Alhamdulillah,” Emiway wrote as he shared photos of his wedding with Swaalini on Instagram.
Who is Swaalini?
Swaalini was first seen with Emiway Bantai in his music video, Kudi. Born in Finland in 1995, her real name is reportedly Halina Kuchey. She is a professional model and actress who has been a part of several Hindi and Punjabi music videos.
In 2017, she appeared in the Hindi song, Ik Kahani, and in 2018, she featured in the Punjabi song, Prada.
In January this year, she starred in the song, Nasha, which was produced by Emiway’s label.
About Emiway Bantai
Emiway Bantai is considered as one of the pioneers of the hiphop culture in India. Known for his raps based on the themes of freedom, friendship and social issues, Emiway shot to fame with his 2014 track, Aur Bantai.
It was followed by tracks like Machayenge and Khatam, which went on to become a rage not just in Indua, but even overseas.
According to several reports, Emiway’s net worth is currently poised at Rs 60 crore, making him one of the richest rappers in the country.
Maharashtra
Mumbai: Oshiwara School Receives Bomb Threat Email By ‘Afzal Gang’
Mumbai: Officials at Ryan Global School in Oshiwara received an email bomb threat on Thursday morning, according to police. The police, a bomb detection squad and a dog squad arrived at the school immediately and conducted a search operation for almost an hour, but did not find anything suspicious, officials said.
The email claimed that the ‘Afzal gang’ had planted a bomb in the school. A private school in Navi Mumbai also received a threatening email on Thursday. The Mumbai Police said that local authorities and the bomb squad had reached the spot and were investigating the premises.
the administration stated that it was just a rumour. The police have launched a search for the person behind the threat and have appealed to school administrators and parents to remain vigilant.
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