India Political Highlights: Political slugfest erupts in Bengal over Budget proposals

After Minister of State for Finance Chandrima Bhattacharya presented the West Bengal Budget proposals for the financial year 2023-24 on Wednesday, a political slugfest has erupted in the state over them.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee described the Budget as a growth-oriented one maintaining a balance in social development with focus on employment generation and economic growth.

"Despite the adverse attitude of the Union government towards West Bengal, especially with regard to payment of central dues to the state, we have tried with our limited means to provide as much relief as possible to the people. This is truly a humanitarian Budget," the Chief Minister said.

According toBJPlegislator and former chief economic advisor to the Union government, Ashok Kumar Lahiri, there is no direction in the Budget to control the rising accumulated debt of the state.

. A big personality in India (Adani) lost 40% of wealth after report from Hindenburg. They're (Modi govt) making an excuse of Supreme Court. We used to think that PM Modi was scared of taking name of China but now he's also scared of taking his (Adani's) name, saysAIMIM chief Owaisi.

. Murder of the army man shows that whenever DMK is in power law and order are severely compromised. This has gone to the extent of killing an army officer. Police being only used to avenge vendetta from AIADMK and other opponents, saysKovai Sathyan, AIADMK Spokesperson.

. A Congress delegation headed by party general secretary Mukul Wasnik met Election Commission officials on Wednesday and complained about violence in Tripura, alleging that Congress workers were being targeted by the ruling party.

The Congress alleged that it's party candidates and supporters were being attacked by theBJPcadres.

The Congress is contesting the Tripura election in alliance with the Left parties which were unseated by theBJPin the last election.

Tripura goes to the polls on Thursday.

. A row erupted in Maharashtra on Wednesday over an Assam government advertisement claiming that India's 6th Jyotirlinga is located at Kamrup in the Dakini hills in the northeastern state.

The ad, released by the Assam government on Tuesday in various media, bears the photo of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma greeting and inviting people on the occasion of the upcoming Maha Shivratri (February 18) celebrations.

. The arrest of former principal secretary of CM of Kerala by enforcement directorate brings out the fact that CM had involvement in the whole issue of corruption in Awas Yojana, gold smuggling case & all these issues, saysV Muraleedharan, MoS for External Affairs.

. He (Amit Shah) took almost 20 days to say just one line on the Adani issue. Why are they (Centre) running away from this topic? They are not allowing discussion in the Parliament on this issue. Why are they not letting JPC intervene?: Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel

. When Congress govt was there they didn’t work on giving people schemes, healthcare facilities & construction of roads. We have provided 8 lakh houses under govt. schemes, saysArun Singh, National General Secretary & Karnataka BJP Incharge at Karnataka BJP Committee meeting

. Assembly membership of SP MLA Abdullah Azam Khan from Rampur Suar Assembly has been cancelled. The Legislative Assembly Secretariat declared the seat of Abdullah Azam vacant.

. The Congress's Pune city unit staged a 'silent' protest on Wednesday against the Income Tax department's survey operations at the BBC's offices in Delhi and Mumbai, and claimed media houses and journalists were under pressure since the Narendra Modi government came to power in 2014. The action, which sparked a sharp political debate with the rulingBJPaccusing the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) of "venomous reporting" and the opposition questioning the timing of the move, comes weeks after the broadcaster aired a two-part documentary "India: The Modi Question" on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the 2002 Gujarat riots. The Congress workers led by Pune unit president Arvind Shinde covered their mouths with black bands during the protest held outside the Patrakar Bhavan here in Maharashtra. Shinde said the Congress condemns the I-T department's action and blamed the central government for it.

. The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Wednesday took a dim view of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's claim that the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government had tried to put him in jail, and asked the BJP leader in which case was he "fearing" arrest.

An editorial in the Sena mouthpiece Saamana claimed that IPS officers had threatened MVA legislators to support Fadnavis and spied on them by tapping their phones. Fadnavis should explain if such "illegal" phone tapping is a crime or not, it said.

. Chandrima Bhattacharya on Wednesday presented aRs 3.39 lakh crore Budget in the West Bengal Assembly. "While the Indian economy is expected to grow at 6.95 per cent, in the current financial year 2022-23, West Bengal economy is expected to grow at 8.41 per centin the same period," Bhattacharya said.

West Bengal's GST revenue grew at 23 per centin the last financial year and this year cumulative growth up to January 2023 is 24.46 per cent.

. Karnataka CMBasavaraj Bommai on Wednesday slammed the Opposition over corruption allegations.

. Nadda said that the Modi is needed for Meghalaya.

"Meghalaya is a beautiful state and it has a lot of potential. I find that there is a competition among the Northeastern states but Meghalaya is marred by corruption. A strong Meghalaya is possible only with strong BJP," Nadda said.

. CPIM general secretary Sitaram Yechury wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner on Tuesday, alleging Union Home Minister Amit Shah is trying to "influence" the assembly elections in Tripura.

Reiterating the accusations made by Jitendra Choudhury, Secretary of Tripura State Committee of CPI(M), in a separate letter sent to the CEC, Yechury raised the issue of Shah's alleged "secret meeting" with top election and police officials including the director general of police.

. Senior Congress leader and Lok Sabha member, Rahul Gandhi is arriving here on Wednesday on a personal visit.

Congress sources said Rahul Gandhi will leave for Gulmarg ski resort immediately after his arrival in Srinagar.

"He is scheduled to spend a few days in Gulmarg during his personal visit. Former Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah is likely to join Rahul during his vacation in Gulmarg", sources said.( IANS )

. Law Minister and BJP leader Kiren Rijiju said he is suffering from viral fever and will not be campaigning in Meghalaya on Wednesday for assembly polls.

Rijiju had been campaigning in Tripura ahead of Thursday's assembly polls. "Suffering from acute viral fever since last 24 hours ... I've been asked to remain indoor and take rest," he wrote on Twitter.

The minister said he will miss Wednesday's public meetings in Meghalaya.

The state goes to poll on February 27.( PTI )

. Tipra Motha chairman Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma on Tuesday announced that he will quit politics after the February 16 Assembly elections and will never seek votes as ‘Bubagra’ (king).

Addressing a rally here on the last day of the campaign, the scion of the former royal family of Tripura said many leaders have deserted him without understanding his feeling for putting up a fight for protecting the rights of poor people who have no food, shelter and education access.( PTI )

. Brazen and unapologetic vengeance, ideological emergency, frightened government, scared of criticism, heights of dictatorship, price one pays for telling the truth, dare to raid 'sweetheart' Adani? Is India the mother of democracy? – these are some of the phrases used by the Opposition on Tuesday to attack the Narendra Modi government for conducting 'surveys' at BBC offices accusing it of tax evasion, weeks after it aired a documentary critical of the Prime Minister's handling of the 2002 Gujarat riots.

. Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Tuesday said no one was above the law and the Income Tax department would share details about the survey it had carried out at the offices of BBC in New Delhi and Mumbai.

. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai who will be presenting the state budget on February 17 is saddled with the expectation of setting a strong poll narrative for hisparty through his budget speech, while not losing sight of the state's economic needs.

. Tipra Motha chairman Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma on Tuesday announced that he will quit politics after the February 16 Assembly elections and will never seek votes as ‘Bubagra’ (king).

India Political Highlights: Political slugfest erupts in Bengal over Budget proposals

Political slugfest erupts in Bengal over Budget proposals

Cong team meets EC, complains about violence against Oppn candidates in Tripura

Assam govt ads claim 'ownership' of 6th Jyotirlinga; Maha Oppn fumes

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