Politics
Mamta government wants CM, not Governor, as Chancellor of state varsities

A fresh confrontation between West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar and the Mamta Banerejee government loomed after the state cabinet on Thursday decided to have Chief Minister as the Chancellor of all state universities instead of the Governor.
This is for the first time that the state government has taken such an initiative to break the protocol, persisting since Independence, of having the Governor as Chancellor of the state universities.
Following the state cabinet meeting at the state Secretariat, Nabanna, Education Minister Bratya Basu said that the state government will bring a bill in the Assembly proposing that the Chief Minister, not the Governor, will be the Chancellor of the state universities.
“Once the bill is passed in the Assembly, it will be sent to the Governor for his assent. In case the Governor refuses to clear the bill, the state government will bring an ordinance to implement this change of practice,” he said.
The development comes at a time when the state government and the ruling Trinamool Congress is already in a fix over the ongoing Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe on the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) recruitment irregularities where two ministers of the state government have already been grilled by the central agency sleuths.
Till this report was filed there was no reaction from the Governor on this matter. However, the opposition parties have criticized the initiative.
BJP’s state spokesman, Shamik Bhattacharya said that this is a direct attempt to have a control over the autonomy of the state universities. “Since the beginning the Chief Minister had been trying to run the state as an independent entity and hence, she has taken such a decision which no state government has done before. This is against tradition and convention,” he said.
CPI-M Central Committee member and former leader of Left in the Assembly, Dr Sujan Chakraborty, contended that this initiative is aimed at having direct administrative and political control over the state universities.
“The decision has been taken at a time when roles of several state ministers and officers are in question because of rampant corruption in the education sector. This is complete politicisation of the functioning of the state agencies. On one hand, the Chief Minister is demanding complete autonomy for the central agencies, and on the other, she is trying to destroy the autonomous nature of the state universities,” he said.
Educationists seemed to be divided over this development.
Educationist, political analyst and former Principal of the then Presidency College, Dr Amal Kumar Mukhopadhyay said that the Chief Minister is the administrative head of the state and a political personality.
“So, the event of the Chief Minister being the Chancellor of the university means political interference in the independent functioning of the institutions. Traditionally and conventionally the Governors, by virtue of their chairs, had been the Chancellors of the state university. I do not find any reason to break away from that convention,” he said.
Renowned historian and Sanskrit scholar, Nrisingha Prasad Bhaduri, however, welcomed the decision.
“Current West Bengal Governor, Jagdeep Dhankhar had been creating many obstacles for the state government to function properly. The Governor is holding back many files including those relating to appointment Vice Chancellors of universities. So, the state government had no other option but to take this decision. I welcome this move,” he said.
National News
India and Pakistan to stop all firing and military action: MEA

New Delhi, May 10: A few minutes after US President Donald Trump announced a “full and immediate ceasefire” between India and Pakistan, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, air and sea with effect from 5 PM Indian Standard Time, on Saturday.
“The Director General of Military Operations of Pakistan called the Director General of Military Operations of India at 1535 hrs earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hrs Indian Standard Time today,” Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said in a short media briefing.
“Instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Director General of Military Operations will talk again on the 12th of May at 1200 hours,” the Foreign Secretary added.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump announced a “full and immediate ceasefire” between India and Pakistan without sharing any details of the negotiations or the ceasefire.
US Secretary of State Rubio also said in a State Department statement that he and Vice-President J D Vance conducted the ceasefire negotiations.
“After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire,” President Trump wrote on Truth Social, the social media platform he owns.
“Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” he added.
Secretary of State Rubio said in a separate statement: “Over the past 48 hours, Vice President Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik.
“I am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site. We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace,” he stated.
National News
Trump says India and Pakistan ‘agree to full and immediate ceasefire’

Donald Trump says “India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire”.
In a post on social media platform Truth Social, the US President says: “After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE.
“Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!
We have not heard this from either India or Pakistan, stay with us for the latest developments.
Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect, Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan, Ishaq Dar says.
He adds: “Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!”
Maharashtra
Maharashtra Cyber Department warns against fake news circulation amid rising India-Pak tensions

Mumbai, May 10: The Office of the Additional Director General of Police, Maharashtra Cyber Department, on Saturday issued an advisory warning against the circulation of fake news amid cross-border tensions, asking the citizens to show restraint.
“Spreading false information, knowingly or unknowingly, is a punishable offence under relevant provisions of law. Maharashtra Cyber strongly advises all citizens to exercise restraint and discernment while consuming and sharing information, particularly in relation to matters of national importance. The Government of India maintains official communication channels and verified platforms for issuing statements, updates, and press releases concerning national security and defence matters. Citizens are urged to rely exclusively on these official sources for information and are firmly discouraged from forwarding or amplifying unverified messages, videos, or images that may contribute to social discord or misinformation,” said the advisory.
The department has appealed to all individuals to act responsibly, verify facts from authorised sources, and report any suspicious or misleading content at the earliest opportunity.
“In view of the prevailing cross-border tensions, accurate and timely information concerning developments at the border and adjoining regions holds vital importance for citizens. However, Maharashtra Cyber has observed with concern that amidst the dissemination of critical information, several instances of fake news are being circulated across various digital platforms. This misinformation not only misleads the public but also promotes confusion and unrest within society,” said the advisory.
“A considerable volume of this fake content pertains to alleged army movements, strategic operations, or retaliatory measures from neighbouring countries. Such unverified and misleading content poses a serious risk to national security and may contribute to the escalation of tensions. Unsocial elements appear to be exploiting the sensitivity of the situation by generating and distributing this fake news with the intention of gaining followers, inciting panic, or manipulating public perception,” said the advisory.
Taking cognisance of these developments, Maharashtra Cyber has issued several notices for the removal of such false narratives across social media and communication platforms. The department remains fully committed to maintaining a secure and trustworthy information environment and will continue to coordinate with platform operators and enforcement agencies to curb the spread of misinformation.
The Cyber Department’s advisory comes a day after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde warned that the government will take stern action against those spreading fake news on social media.
CM Fadnavis, at the meeting he chaired to review the security arrangement and preparedness amid escalating conflict between India and Pakistan, asked the administration to study the central government’s ‘Union War Book’ in depth and inform everyone about it.
Police cyber cells in every district should monitor social media and identify handles that are helping Pakistan and take action against them. If anyone is helping the enemy or spreading false information, take action against them, he said at the meeting.
Further, Eknath Shinde said, “Spreading fake news on social media is a serious crime. Strict action would be taken against it. We request that people not film, video, and broadcast whatever preparations are being made by the military and coast guard forces, as it is important from a security perspective.”
He announced that the government will initiate strong action against those engaged in spreading fake news on social media.
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