New Delhi: Amidst reports of internal strife TMC Supremo and former CM of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee Hitting back at the rebel leaders, he said the party was “not for its leaders but for its workers”. Speaking hours after TMC expelled two MLAs for ‘anti-party activities’, Mamata said the party is “better off” without the rebel MLAs.“There may be some people who take advantage of the circumstances, but those who thought such people were their property are gone and we are better off without them. We will build the party afresh. TMC is not for its leaders; it is for its workers. As long as the workers stay with us, that is what matters. For so long, a few people enjoyed power, and now that we have lost, it seems they have,” he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. “Immediately reached an agreement with the other party.”Read this also Missing TMC MLAs, statewide arrests and protest plans: What’s happeningHe said, “TMC will become even stronger. Today, those who are making tall claims that party leaders are not standing with the workers are spreading misinformation. Complete anarchy is prevalent – even Hitler did not do such things. There are no words left to describe this situation, because when language itself fails, it means harassment has crossed all limits. You cannot intimidate or bribe some MLAs and MPs. cannot weaken TMC; in fact, it is only strengthening the party.”Stepping up her attack on the Suvendu Adhikari-led West Bengal government, Mamata claimed that TMC workers were not being allowed to go out, and alleged that party offices were being vandalized.Terming the attack on party MP and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee as “shocking”, the former Bengal CM alleged that doctors, hospitals were “instructed not to treat.”He said, “The way you attacked the MP of the second largest opposition party is shocking. Doctors were called, yet hospitals were reportedly instructed not to treat. What kind of absurd and authoritarian behavior is this?… The people of Belle Vue bowed at my feet. You had close relations and dealings with the Birla and Lodha families, and you bowed before them… Our mayor took care of everything. Six months ago, we renewed Apollo’s license,” he said.Mamata urged students to protest, alleging “numerous anomalies” in the NEET exam.“There were many anomalies in the NEET exam, students are the backbone of the society and they should protest against it,” he said.Mamata’s comments come as TMC is facing its biggest crisis in a decade following its defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections and internal discord in the party.Additionally, party leaders Abhishek Banerjee and Kunal Ghosh were attacked in Bengal, with the TMC alleging BJP’s involvement.

New Delhi: Newly appointed West Bengal Cabinet Minister Swapan Dasgupta made a scathing attack on Monday. Trinamool Congress (TMC) alleged that the party has left the state in a “completely devastated” state. He said the immediate priority of the newly formed BJP-led government was to remove the “garbage” left by the previous administration and begin the process of rebuilding the state.After taking oath as minister, Dasgupta said the administration’s priorities would focus on education, industry, infrastructure and restoring law and order.“TMC has left Bengal a completely devastated area. Our first task is to remove the ‘garbage’ and start the process of reconstruction and planning. Priorities have been set in education, industrial sector, establishment of infrastructure and bringing back law and order,” he said.Dasgupta also highlighted the challenge of restoring investor confidence and improving governance and alleged that many sectors of public life had become badly corrupt during the TMC tenure in the state. “We also have to bring back the confidence of the entire investor community. Trying to bring back a degree of honesty in the system will be a big challenge because there are many areas of public life that have become badly corrupt,” he said.On the possibility of opposition leaders joining the BJP, Dasgupta said the party has decided not to include TMC members for the foreseeable future.“Our policy in BJP in Bengal is that we will not take any person from TMC in the near future,” he said.Responding to questions about the alleged forgery of signatures of MLAs in the West Bengal Assembly, which is being investigated by a five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the CID, Dasgupta said the case should be handled through established procedures.“It is for the Speaker to find out whether there is any forgery in the signatures. Let the law take its course,” he said.West Bengal on Monday expanded its cabinet and 35 new ministers took oath at Lok Bhawan in Kolkata. Governor RN Ravi administered the oath, taking the strength of the Council of Ministers under Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari to 41.

Image Source: CJP Website

New Delhi: Cockroach Janata Party founder Abhijit Dubke on Monday announced that he will return to India on June 6 to launch peaceful protests demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over exam-related glitches.In a video posted on Twitter and Instagram, Dupke called on supporters and students to join him in Delhi.He said, “The time has come that we all come together following the path of the Constitution of India and peacefully raise our voice to demand the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan. If we raise our voice together, he will definitely have to listen to us.”Dubke linked his demand to repeated failures in the country’s examination system, citing controversies related to NEET, CBSE, CUET and SSCGD.He said, “Today, there are 22 lakh NEET students, 17 lakh CBSE students, 16 lakh CUET students and 40 lakh SSCGD students – more than 1 crore students whose lives have been made a mockery of the system. Because of this, students are very worried and worried about their future. Someone has to take responsibility for this.”“If the Education Minister does not resign even after such a big mistake, it means that there is no accountability left in this country. It seems that the system can make as many mistakes as it wants and there are no consequences. The entire consequence falls on the students.”Deepke urged supporters to join him at the airport on June 6. “I have decided that I will come to Delhi on Saturday morning, June 6. Please join me at the airport and together we will go to the Sansad Marg police station to seek permission to hold a peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar.”He said the movement would remain non-violent and focus on raising concerns through democratic channels rather than confrontation.He said, “The Constitution of India gives us the right to raise our voice against wrongdoings in a peaceful manner. We will raise our voice only according to that Constitution.”Addressing concerns about his return, Dipke said that his family members, particularly his parents, were concerned that he could face legal action or be arrested after landing in the country. Despite those concerns, he said he was committed to returning and hoped authorities would allow the protests to proceed peacefully in accordance with democratic norms.

New Delhi: Israeli Ambassador to India Reuven Azar praised India’s growing influence in West Asia, saying New Delhi has a “big role” in bringing stability to the region amid geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty.Speaking about India’s role in the current West Asia crisis, Azar said India’s growing economic power and trade partnership could transform the region if stability is maintained and extremist threats are controlled.“India has a huge role to play in this because India is the fastest growing economy in our region and as a result of the agreements made with all the major trade blocs, we will see trillions of dollars of goods moving forward, a lot of investment moving forward and our region, West Asia, can enjoy that, if we have stability,” Azar said.“So we have to achieve stability, we have to neutralize the radical elements, and then I think both India and us and all the countries in the region will be able to enjoy the prosperity that is going to come from India to our region.”The comments come at a time when Israel is increasingly highlighting its strategic and diplomatic ties with India, while positioning New Delhi as an important economic and political partner in the broader Middle East region.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week underlined the strength of bilateral ties, saying Israel enjoys strong public support from India even as it faces criticism in other parts of the world.“We have a unique relationship with a great power called India. In India, there is support for Israel,” Netanyahu said during a public address.“We face illegalization in most parts of the world – but not in India,” he said.Netanyahu also commented on the widespread public affection for Israel among Indians, saying, “In India, there is absolutely crazy love for Israel, really crazy. I think I have more followers from India than anywhere else.”The Israeli leader’s comments reinforce the growing warmth between New Delhi and Tel Aviv, especially under the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which has steadily expanded cooperation with Israel in areas ranging from defense and technology to trade and agriculture.During Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Israel earlier this year, Netanyahu also recalled his personal relationship with India while addressing a joint press conference.Netanyahu said, “I have to say at the end of this visit that I am indebted to India – I don’t know if I told you this or not, Narendra – but I owe a huge personal debt to India. You see, when I met Sara for the first time, I think our first or second date was in an Indian restaurant in Tel Aviv.”The visit further strengthened symbolic ties between the two countries, with Modi being awarded the “Speaker of the Knesset Medal”, considered Israel’s highest parliamentary honour.India and Israel have deepened engagement over the past decade, with both governments often emphasizing cooperation on security, innovation, connectivity and regional stability. Israel’s latest comments show that New Delhi is being viewed not only as a bilateral partner, but also as a potential stabilizing power in the broader West Asian region.

Abhishek Banerjee (Image/PTI)

New Delhi: Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee News agency ANI quoted party sources as saying that they will inform Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla about the mob attack on them in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district and will also approach the court in connection with the incident.This development comes after Abhishek Banerjee was attacked with bricks, stones and eggs while meeting families affected by post-poll violence in Sonarpur. TMC national general secretary suffered injuries near his eye and alleged BJP He accused the group of planning the attack, alleging that an attempt was made on his life and that the police failed to provide adequate security.According to party sources, Banerjee will formally inform Speaker Om Birla about the incident and will seek legal recourse over the attack.Five people have been arrested in connection with the case and were produced before a court in Baruipur on Monday. The accused have been identified as Akash Gayen, Kajal Das, Debashish Dutta, Nirmalya Sengupta and Tapan Maiti.The issue has created a major political controversy in West Bengal, with the TMC alleging a pattern of attacks against its leaders. On Sunday, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee also claimed that he was attacked near Chanditala police station in Hooghly district while presenting a delegation regarding the post-poll violence.Kalyan Banerjee alleged that during the incident, BJP supporters attacked his head, due to which he suffered injuries. They later protested outside the police station and described the attack as an ‘attempt to murder’. The BJP denied the allegations and claimed that local residents were expressing anger against TMC leaders.Reacting to the attack on him, Abhishek Banerjee described the incident as ‘political violence and state sponsored terrorism’ by the BJP. Thanking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for expressing concern, he said opposition parties should remain united to protect democratic institutions and constitutional values.“Thank you, Rahul ji, for your concern and continued support. We remain united and resolute in our fight to protect the soul of India, protect its democratic institutions and uphold the values ​​enshrined in our Constitution,” Banerjee said in a post on Twitter.The BJP condemned the violence but said the incidents reflected public anger against TMC. West Bengal Minister Dilip Ghosh said that no one has the right to take the law into their hands, and claimed that public resentment against TMC has been building for years.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Met Myanmar President U Min Aung Hlaing on Monday.The leaders met at Hyderabad House here in the national capital as President U Min Aung Hlaing is visiting India from May 30 to June 2 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.This is the first visit of Min Aung Hlaing to India in his current capacity as President. He will also be accompanied by a high-level delegation of cabinet ministers, senior officials and prominent business leaders.Earlier, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval Met Myanmar President U Min Aung Hlaing on Sunday.“NSA Shri Ajit Doval met President of Myanmar U Min Aung Hlaing today,” Randhir Jaiswal, official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, said in a post on Twitter.Earlier, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar met the President of Myanmar on Saturday and appreciated his positive approach towards strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.In a post on Twitter, Jaishankar said, “Delighted to meet President of Myanmar U Min Aung Hlaing in New Delhi today. Appreciate his positive sentiment towards deepening our long-standing bilateral cooperation. Looking forward to his meeting with PM Narendra Modi to take our partnership forward for peace, progress and prosperity.”After completing the program in Bodh Gaya, Min Aung Hlaing reached New Delhi.Hlaing reached Bodh Gaya in Bihar on Saturday, where External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal welcomed the visit and highlighted India’s civilizational and spiritual ties with Myanmar.Shortly after arrival, President Min Aung Hlaing visited the sacred Mahabodhi Temple, a major Buddhist pilgrimage site and UNESCO World Heritage Site.Speaking at the weekly press briefing earlier on Friday, Jaiswal outlined the broad scope of the upcoming bilateral discussions.

New Delhi: The Union of Indian Universities, already under the scanner over alleged financial and administrative irregularities, is now facing allegations of a potentially much bigger scam related to the certification of players, with AIU president Vinay Kumar Pathak alleging that deserving university athletes have been denied recognition and opportunities for years through systemic manipulation within the administration.Pathak, who initiated disciplinary action following the controversy over India’s participation in the 2025 Fédération Internationale du Sport Universitaire (FISU) World University Games in Germany, claimed that vested interests were opposing efforts to clean up the system. “This action has shaken up the corrupt practices. There is a need for further investigation into the certification scam, which has kept meritorious sportspersons away from Indian universities for a long time,” Pathak told TOI.Immediate disciplinary proceedings were initiated against AIU Joint Secretary Baljit Singh Sekhon, who was suspended for lapses related to the World University Games. In a memorandum dated 13 April, the AIU had said that the selected athletes, “including six badminton players and some athletics participants” were not included in the official entry list within the stipulated deadline, leading to denial of recognition despite traveling to the venue and being excluded from the competition.The memorandum described the episode as reflecting “gross negligence, lack of due diligence and failure to discharge assigned responsibilities”. An investigative committee later concluded that Sekhon “is responsible for most aspects of the mismanagement reported at FISU WUG 2025” and cited “negligence in duties, failure to discharge duties, breach of responsibility, irresponsibility, carelessness, failure to act, lapse in judgment”.The scope of the investigation extended beyond procedural flaws in the games. The committee recommended vigilance investigation into “suspicious financial credit transactions” and investigation into foreign travel undertaken by officials in the last two years. Pathak said the investigation has exposed deep institutional irregularities.In a letter to the Additional Chief Secretary of Haryana in connection with a PIL alleging serious violations of bylaws and challenging his continuation as AIU president, Pathak said he launched a clean-up drive soon after assuming office and constituted high-level committees to probe “deep institutional irregularities”.According to the letter, disciplinary action was taken following the findings of these committees, including dismissal of Gaurav Rai, sending Binu George Varghese back to his parent institution and suspending Sekhon pending investigation. Pathak alleged that the PIL was part of a vindictive attempt to derail the disciplinary proceedings. He argued that the Education Ministry’s status quo order applied not only to the post of the President but also to the General Council and other AIU bodies during the restructuring phase, yet only the continuity of the President was targeted.The panel also recommended professionalization of youth affairs and sports administration, structured collaboration with the Sports Ministry and Sports Authority of India and promotion of inter-university leagues and international participation programmes. “If the certification and selection over the past few years is properly examined, many shocking facts may emerge,” Pathak said.

New Delhi: The government is considering cutting the list of vehicles exempted from toll payment on national highways, and vehicles belonging to senior central and state government officials are likely to be taken out of the “exempted category”, TOI has learned.A high-level committee constituted by the Central Government has recommended the Road Transport Ministry to amend the National Highway Fee Rules to “eliminate the exempted category”. Officials said the proposal is under discussion with various stakeholders and there is a possibility of reducing the exempted category of vehicles in a systematic manner.“The proposal to start this exercise is under active consideration with the government authorities. The focus is on ending VIP culture as it does not appeal to common citizens,” said a person aware of the development. The Road Transport Ministry has written to various government institutions and states to motivate their employees to purchase Fastag annual passes instead of asking for discounts. “They can work out a mechanism to reimburse the amount of Fastag annual pass, which is much less than reimbursement of mobile phone bills,” he said. Discussions are also going on with the defense forces,” said an officer.At present, vehicles transporting people working in 25 public offices and accompanying them are exempted from paying toll. Vehicles used for official purposes by central and state armed forces in uniform, including defense personnel, paramilitary forces, executive magistrates, fire departments, inspection of highway projects and emergency purposes (ambulances, funeral vans) are also exempted from paying toll.‘Exempt FASTags’ are issued by IHMCL under the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to vehicles legally exempted from paying toll charges. Even if these vehicles do not pay toll, they must still have a valid exempted FASTag.People involved in the discussions said that with the implementation of the Fastag annual pass, people can now buy it online and get reimbursement of the amount from their respective department. With an annual pass of Rs 3,075, a vehicle can cross 200 toll plazas, costing a little more than Rs 15 per plaza, and can be renewed multiple times in a year.