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Mamata likely to meet Modi next week

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If everything goes according to the schedule then Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi by the middle of next week.

According to official sources Banerjee might go to Delhi on November 22 and is likely to return on November 25. During her two-day stay in the national capital, she is likely to meet the Prime Minister and discuss pending issues.

Sources in the CMO (Chief Minister’s Office) indicated that the discussion of the Chief Minister with the Prime Minister might revolve around the pending financial dues of the state and the recent extension of the operation area of BSF from 15 kilometres to 50 kilometres. The chief minister is also likely to meet the leaders of the opposition parties, including Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

The extension of the area of operation of the BSF has triggered political controversy and several Trinamool Congress leaders have raised their voices against the Centre’s decision alleging that this is an intrusion in the federal structure of the country.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has written to the Prime Minister protesting against the Centre’s decision. Trinamool Congress have even decided to bring a resolution against this in the Assembly on Tuesday. Senior Trinamool leader Sougata Roy said that the party will raise their voice in the winter session of Parliament. So, it is expected that Banerjee will have a discussion with the Prime Minister on this issue, sources said.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has also been vocal regarding the pending financial dues of the state. It is expected that she will also apprise the Prime Minister about the financial dues of the state. Recently the Minister of State for finance Chandrima Bhattacharya raised the issue during a meeting with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday.

According to the state, the Centre is increasing its income by imposing cess, but the states are not getting their share. The state’s demand was that the the authority to take a loan of 5 per cent of the GDP by the Centre was accepted at only 3.5 per cent. Not only that, the state has been alleging that they are not getting the portion of the central funds for the centre-state run projects. The Centre is also not releasing funds for the disaster affected people. These issues are likely to take the centre stage of the discussion.

In July after coming to power for the third time Banerjee went to Delhi and met several leaders, including Sonia Gandhi but things have changed in these few months. Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee have repeatedly attacked the Congress for their inability to lead the opposition against BJP.

With the Trinamool trying to spread its organisation to smaller states like Goa and Tripura, the perspective of Trinamool Congress and Mamata Banerjee have changed in the last five months. The party that was once considered to be a regional outfit is trying to emerge as an alternative to the Congress nationally. So Mamata Banerjee’s meeting with the opposition leaders will definitely have a significance.

Crime

RG Kar rape victim’s parents dismiss NCRB report calling Kolkata ‘safest city’

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Kolkata, Oct 4: The parents of the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, on Saturday, have refuted the latest report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) published, where Kolkata has been termed as the safest city across the country.

As per the NCRB report, Kolkata for 2023 (latest available) has recorded the lowest cognisable offences per lakh people, which is the fourth time in a row.

On Saturday, while speaking to the media persons, the parents of the R.G. Kar victim rubbished this part of the NCRB report, and claimed that these findings were not based on proper field research and probably the report was prepared to please anyone.

“Was my daughter secured, and that too at her workplace? Was the senior citizen at Kultali in South 24 Parganas district, who became a victim of gang-rape this week, safe? No one is secure here. I do not know who prepared the report. It seems that the report was prepared while sitting in the comfort of the office and without any proper field-based research,” the victim’s mother said.

The victim’s father expressed doubts over the credibility of those in the NCRB who have prepared the report.

“I do not know who in NCRB is responsible for preparing such reports. Even if I believe that the report of Kolkata being the safest city in the country, does that not mean the safety aspect in other Indian cities is unimaginable? I doubt that the NCRB had been misled, and hence the outcome was such a report,” the victim’s father said.

According to him, the only possibility is that the police personnel in Kolkata do not register most of the complaints filed by common people, and hence the crime figures in the city are projected as low.

“We can realise what the reality is since our daughter left. Probably, the experiences are the same,” he added.

As per the latest report of NCRB, Kolkata recorded 83.9 cognisable offences per lakh people in 2023, the lowest among the 19 cities.

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Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray Slams BJP For Vitiating Harmony; Calls Devendra Fadnavis ‘Helpless’ CM Amid Corruption, Farmer Distress

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Pune, Oct 4: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday dubbed Devendra Fadnavis a “helpless” chief minister who has failed to crack down on “rampant corruption” under his watch.

Citing the announcement of various welfare schemes in poll-bound Bihar, he appealed to the Centre to extend financial assistance to women in Maharashtra.

Thackeray addressed gatherings of women and Sena (UBT) workers in Pune. He also interacted with the media.

Addressing an interaction organised by the Pune Union of Working Journalists, Thackeray said the Sena (UBT) did not need a certificate on Hindutva from the Bharatiya Janata Party, which was “creating walls within the country.”

“India is a beautiful country. It has a great culture. However, these people (BJP) have vitiated the entire atmosphere and made it hell. These people have created walls within the country. I have been working hard to prevent further deterioration.

“I have said time and again that the BJP cannot run governments in the state or at the Centre. The Narendra Modi government has failed to address issues in Kashmir and Manipur,” the former Maharashtra chief minister alleged..

The BJP is taking the country on the path of dictatorship, Thackeray added. Attacking Fadnavis, he said, “I don’t consider anybody as an enemy, not even the prime minister. But considering the state’s current situation, the chief minister looks ‘hatbal’ (helpless) despite (BJP-led Mahayuti) having a brute majority. Despite several instances of corruption, the CM is helpless to act against corrupt individuals,” he claimed.

Thackeray alleged the Fadnavis government had failed to help farmers, hit by heavy rains and floods..

Responding to criticism that he had abandoned the Hindutva fold (after his alliance with the Congress and NCP (SP) in 2019), the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader claimed it was the BJP that had started ‘Saugat-e Modi’ campaign to appease Muslims.

“I do not require any certificate on Hindutva from the BJP. My grandfather (Prabhodankar Thackeray) was a well-known reformer. Our Hindutva has been progressive,” he said.

Thackeray also slammed Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for “big talks” against Pakistan.

Singh on Friday asserted that the NDA government has demonstrated, through the 2016 surgical strike, 2019 Balakot airstrike, and the recent Operation Sindoor, that the country can cross any border whenever necessary to protect citizens and safeguard India’s unity and integrity.

Addressing a gathering of women, Thackeray stated that the state government provided financial assistance to women for two to three months during elections, just to win votes.

“This is cheating. Ladki Bahins desperately need financial help. I hope PM Modi will announce some aid during his upcoming visit to Maharashtra”, he added.

Thackeray said the (Central) government acted promptly when Bihar needed financial help. “If you are providing assistance, do not restrict it to Bihar; extend it to all women in the country. These women are not paid voters,” he added.

Addressing Sena (UBT) workers, Thackeray called for expanding the party network by setting up “shakhas” or branch offices.

Without naming Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, he said the attempt to break the Shiv Sena will never succeed. He said the Sena (UBT) can win the upcoming elections to local bodies in Maharashtra, provided it works hard.

“Vote theft is the result of illegal voting. Why can’t we do the same thing that Rahul Gandhi ji has done? Find bogus voters. We won the Lok Sabha polls, but lost assembly polls, which were held shortly,” he told the party workers..

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Mumbai: BMC Chief Bhushan Gagrani Inspects Goregaon-Mulund Link Road & Coastal Road (North) Projects, Orders To Expedite Work

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Mumbai: Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner and Administrator Bhushan Gagrani, on Saturday, inspected key infrastructure projects in Mumbai, including the twin tunnel site at Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari in Goregaon under Phase 3(B) of the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project and the Versova–Bhayander stretch of the Mumbai Coastal Road (North).

During the visit, Gagrani reviewed project layouts, interacted with engineers and issued firm directives to speed up the work. He stressed that all necessary permissions and no-objection certificates (NOCs) for the Coastal Road (North) project must be secured without delay and instructed officials to fast-track land acquisition for areas affected by the alignment.

Deputy Commissioner (Infrastructure) Shashank Bhore, Chief Engineer (Bridges) Uttam Shrote, P North Ward Assistant Commissioner Kundan Valvi, along with other senior officials and project consultants, accompanied him on the inspection.

The BMC chief’s visit also highlighted progress on the six-lane flyover between Dindoshi Court and Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari, a crucial part of Phase 3(A) of the GMLR project. Out of 31 planned piers, 27 have already been completed, with work on the remaining four currently underway near Ratnagiri Junction. The flyover, stretching 1,265 meters, is being built using box girders and reinforced concrete and will also feature a pedestrian bridge equipped with escalators.

According to the project timeline, girder launching, deck slab casting, and approach road construction will begin soon. The approach road at Dindoshi Court is expected to be finished by January 31, 2026, while the one at Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari will be completed by April 30, 2026. The flyover is targeted to open for traffic by May 16, 2026. Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijeet Bangar also reviewed the project’s progress at the BMC headquarters on Friday.

A senior BMC bridge department official said that of the 26 spans, 12 have been completed, with the remaining 14 scheduled for completion by February 15, 2026. While construction is progressing steadily on most parts, some work on the Mulund side is facing delays due to rehabilitation and land acquisition challenges. Once resolved, the pending flyover work will resume.

The Rs 14,000-crore GMLR project, spanning 12.2 km, will link the Western Express Highway at Goregaon with the Eastern Express Highway at Mulund, slashing travel time between the suburbs from 75 minutes to just 25. Once completed, it promises to deliver seamless east-west connectivity across Mumbai, easing congestion and commuter woes.

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