June 6, 2026

Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi NEW DELHI: Leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday displayed excerpts from an unpublished memoir of former Army Chief General MM Naravane and accused PM Modi of “not fulfulling responsibility” during the 2020 India-China military clashes in Ladakh.Speaking to reporters outside the Parliament the Congress leader said, “The speaker is saying that this book does not exist, Rajnath ji has said this book does not exist. This is Naravane ji’s book wherein he has written the account of Ladakh…Narendra Modi ji did not fulfil his responsibility.”“He told the Army Chief to do whatever he wants to do. Army Chief General Naravane has clearly written in this book that he felt really alone. This is what they are scared of me saying,” he added.Citing the book, he added, “PM Modi did not fulfil his responsibility and passed the buck on to then army chief.” “If PM comes to Lok Sabha, I will give him ex-army chief Naravane’s book: Rahul Gandhi,” added Gandhi.His remarks came after he tried to quote excerpts from the unpublished book during the Parliament session on Monday. Gandhi insisted on raising the issue of India-China confrontation of August 2020 and was interrupted repeatedly by defence minister Rajnath Singh and later home minister Amit Shah, who asked him not to quote from any unverified source. Naravane was the Army Chief at the time of the Ladakh confrontation. The excerpts cited by Rahul Gandhi were recently published by an online portal.Earlier, on Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi wrote a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, registering his “strongest protest” over being denied the opportunity to speak on the President’s address during the ongoing Budget session. He described the restriction as a “blot on our democracy” and alleged that the government is “scared” of what is written in the book.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’Sorry Papa’: Suicide Note From Three Sisters In Ghaziabad Triggers Debate On Gaming AddictionMamata Banerjee Takes SIR Battle Against Election Commission To Supreme Court, Openly Challenges BJPChina Backs BRICS Presidency, Highlights Record Trade Growth With India Amid Diplomatic ResetUS Lawmaker Rich McCormick Hails Trade Deal, Says India, US Key To Global Peace, Economic StabilityJaishankar Meets Rubio As India-US Partnership Moves Beyond Trade Deal Into Global Strategic Axis“India Will Buy Oil From US…” White House After Trade Deal’India-US Trade Deal Removes Competitive Disadvantage’: Former Indian Envoy To WashingtonIndia-US Trade Deal: Trump Says India Won’t Buy Russian Oil; Rahul Gandhi Accuses PM of Selling Out’Symbol Of Negativity’: Goyal Rains Fire On Rahul Gandhi After US-India Trade Deal, Parl RuckusIndia-US Trade Deal: Moscow Contradicts Trump’s Claim On New Delhi ‘Stopping’ Russian Oil Imports123PhotostoriesWhy BMW cars are so expensive: The features that make them stand outWhat is the difference between a lease and a rent agreement7 parenting lessons from Violet BridgertonHow vintage furniture shapes modern comfort10 most mispronounced food words and their correct pronunciation5 unique wildlife species found in the Indian HimalayasBaby names inspired by music and art9 nature-inspired baby girl names that mean ‘new beginning’How to make dhaba-style dal makhani at homeThere are only 6 countries whose names begin with the letter ‘U’123Hot PicksBudget 2026Gold Silver PricesCigarette Prices HikeIndia US TradeIncome Tax CalculatorPublic holidays February 2026Bank Holidays februaryTop TrendingArtemi PanarinMLB Trade RumorsAyesha CurryKayla NicoleNHL Injury UpdatePuka NacuaRussell WilsonDenver Nuggets vs Detroit PistonsNikola JokicGold Riyadh Players Ranking

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Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi NEW DELHI: Leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday displayed excerpts from an unpublished memoir of former Army Chief General MM Naravane and accused PM Modi of “not fulfulling responsibility” during the 2020 India-China military clashes in Ladakh.Speaking to reporters outside the Parliament the Congress leader said, “The speaker is saying that this book does not exist, Rajnath ji has said this book does not exist. This is Naravane ji’s book wherein he has written the account of Ladakh…Narendra Modi ji did not fulfil his responsibility.”“He told the Army Chief to do whatever he wants to do. Army Chief General Naravane has clearly written in this book that he felt really alone. This is what they are scared of me saying,” he added.Citing the book, he added, “PM Modi did not fulfil his responsibility and passed the buck on to then army chief.” “If PM comes to Lok Sabha, I will give him ex-army chief Naravane’s book: Rahul Gandhi,” added Gandhi.His remarks came after he tried to quote excerpts from the unpublished book during the Parliament session on Monday. Gandhi insisted on raising the issue of India-China confrontation of August 2020 and was interrupted repeatedly by defence minister Rajnath Singh and later home minister Amit Shah, who asked him not to quote from any unverified source. Naravane was the Army Chief at the time of the Ladakh confrontation. The excerpts cited by Rahul Gandhi were recently published by an online portal.Earlier, on Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi wrote a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, registering his “strongest protest” over being denied the opportunity to speak on the President’s address during the ongoing Budget session. He described the restriction as a “blot on our democracy” and alleged that the government is “scared” of what is written in the book.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’Sorry Papa’: Suicide Note From Three Sisters In Ghaziabad Triggers Debate On Gaming AddictionMamata Banerjee Takes SIR Battle Against Election Commission To Supreme Court, Openly Challenges BJPChina Backs BRICS Presidency, Highlights Record Trade Growth With India Amid Diplomatic ResetUS Lawmaker Rich McCormick Hails Trade Deal, Says India, US Key To Global Peace, Economic StabilityJaishankar Meets Rubio As India-US Partnership Moves Beyond Trade Deal Into Global Strategic Axis“India Will Buy Oil From US…” White House After Trade Deal’India-US Trade Deal Removes Competitive Disadvantage’: Former Indian Envoy To WashingtonIndia-US Trade Deal: Trump Says India Won’t Buy Russian Oil; Rahul Gandhi Accuses PM of Selling Out’Symbol Of Negativity’: Goyal Rains Fire On Rahul Gandhi After US-India Trade Deal, Parl RuckusIndia-US Trade Deal: Moscow Contradicts Trump’s Claim On New Delhi ‘Stopping’ Russian Oil Imports123PhotostoriesWhy BMW cars are so expensive: The features that make them stand outWhat is the difference between a lease and a rent agreement7 parenting lessons from Violet BridgertonHow vintage furniture shapes modern comfort10 most mispronounced food words and their correct pronunciation5 unique wildlife species found in the Indian HimalayasBaby names inspired by music and art9 nature-inspired baby girl names that mean ‘new beginning’How to make dhaba-style dal makhani at homeThere are only 6 countries whose names begin with the letter ‘U’123Hot PicksBudget 2026Gold Silver PricesCigarette Prices HikeIndia US TradeIncome Tax CalculatorPublic holidays February 2026Bank Holidays februaryTop TrendingArtemi PanarinMLB Trade RumorsAyesha CurryKayla NicoleNHL Injury UpdatePuka NacuaRussell WilsonDenver Nuggets vs Detroit PistonsNikola JokicGold Riyadh Players Ranking


'PM didn't fulfill his responsibility': Rahul displays unpublished memoir of ex-Army chief Naravane outside Parliament
Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi

NEW DELHI: Leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday displayed excerpts from an unpublished memoir of former Army Chief General MM Naravane and accused PM Modi of “not fulfulling responsibility” during the 2020 India-China military clashes in Ladakh.Speaking to reporters outside the Parliament the Congress leader said, “The speaker is saying that this book does not exist, Rajnath ji has said this book does not exist. This is Naravane ji’s book wherein he has written the account of Ladakh…Narendra Modi ji did not fulfil his responsibility.”“He told the Army Chief to do whatever he wants to do. Army Chief General Naravane has clearly written in this book that he felt really alone. This is what they are scared of me saying,” he added.Citing the book, he added, “PM Modi did not fulfil his responsibility and passed the buck on to then army chief.” “If PM comes to Lok Sabha, I will give him ex-army chief Naravane’s book: Rahul Gandhi,” added Gandhi.His remarks came after he tried to quote excerpts from the unpublished book during the Parliament session on Monday. Gandhi insisted on raising the issue of India-China confrontation of August 2020 and was interrupted repeatedly by defence minister Rajnath Singh and later home minister Amit Shah, who asked him not to quote from any unverified source. Naravane was the Army Chief at the time of the Ladakh confrontation. The excerpts cited by Rahul Gandhi were recently published by an online portal.Earlier, on Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi wrote a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, registering his “strongest protest” over being denied the opportunity to speak on the President’s address during the ongoing Budget session. He described the restriction as a “blot on our democracy” and alleged that the government is “scared” of what is written in the book.



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Prashant Kishor (File photo) NEW DELHI: Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) chief Prashant Kishor on Saturday termed the by-poll to Bihar’s Bankipur assembly seat a “referendum” on the promises made by the BJP during last November’s assembly polls, as the state now has its first chief minister from the saffron party.In April, BJP leader Samrat Choudhary succeeded party ally Janata Dal (United) supremo Nitish Kumar as chief minister. Kumar, who served in the top post for over two decades, has moved to the Rajya Sabha along with BJP chief Nitin Nabin, the previous representative of the Bankipur constituency – a fact highlighted by Kishor.Nabin moved to the Upper House after being appointed BJP’s national president.The date for the Bankipur assembly bypoll is yet to be announced.“Bankipur is the seat of the BJP’s national president. For the past 40 years, no party or leader has managed to defeat the BJP there,” Kishor told reporters in Patna.He added, “The (BJP-led) NDA won by giving the people of the state Rs 10,000 and by misleading them with false promises. For the first time, someone from the BJP is chief minister. So, the by-election will effectively serve as a referendum on the promises made in November 2025. The public will have the right to vote on those promises — whether it was the pledge to provide Rs 2 lakh, the promise to halt migration from Bihar, or the commitment to improve the education system and employment opportunities.”The former poll strategist further stated that it is for this reason that JSP should contest Bankipur with “full force”.The JSP, launched by Kishor in October 2024, made its electoral debut in the Bihar Assembly polls. However, it drew a blank despite contesting 238 of the 243 constituencies.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosIndus Waters Treaty To Stay Suspended Until Pakistan Ends Support For Terrorism, Says IndiaDelhi Police Clears Cockroach Janata Party Protest At Jantar Mantar Amid Exam Irregularity RowIndia Rebukes Pakistan At UN, Reasserts Jammu & Kashmir As Integral Part Of The CountryIndia-US Trade Pact Set For First Breakthrough As Initial Agreement Nears Mid-July Finish LinePatna Protest Case: Khan Sir Booked Under Attempted Murder ChargeTMC Reorganises Bengal Unit: Chandrima Bhattacharya Appointed PresidentWhat Training 5 Lakh Indian Army Personnel In Drone Operations Means For Future Wars?Indian Navy Invites Domestic Industry to Build 80-mm Aero Rockets for MiG-29K FleetDelhi Fire Horror: Owner’s Bangladesh-Linked Arrest Draws AttentionIndia Urges Faster Bangladesh Verification To Deport Illegal Migrants123PhotostoriesTop 7 Pune localities offering affordable rentals and excellent connectivityHow to make South Indian Raw Mango Rice for Saturday lunch at home7 cardiologist-recommended summer diet tips for a stronger, healthier heartAre you a frazzled parent? 4 ways to know it and what can help6/6 Portal: Manifest your desires according to your birth dateFrom Chaach to Papaya: UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s daily diet at the age of 54Success quote of the day by Ralph Waldo Emerson: “The only person you are destined to become is…”8 protein-rich chilla for weekend breakfast made under 10 minutes10 entrance foyer designs that create a premium first impression in modern apartmentsBefore saying ‘Yes’: 10 non-negotiables every woman should identify123Hot PicksH1B ProgramKS BharatCaitlin ClarkJoe BurrowKCET result 2026Cooper KuppCockroach Janta PartyDonald TrumpEarthquake NewsTop TrendingCJP ProtestKarnataka Constable RecruitmentTS Inter Supplementary ResultsIndia vs Afghanistan ScoreAnnamalai BJP exitE85 FuelDelhi hotel fireKhan sir coaching fireDelhi Plice HCM Result 2026Pawan Kalyan

Prashant Kishor (File photo) NEW DELHI: Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) chief Prashant Kishor on Saturday termed the by-poll to Bihar’s Bankipur assembly seat a “referendum” on the promises made by the BJP during last November’s assembly polls, as the state now has its first chief minister from the saffron party.In April, BJP leader Samrat Choudhary succeeded party ally Janata Dal (United) supremo Nitish Kumar as chief minister. Kumar, who served in the top post for over two decades, has moved to the Rajya Sabha along with BJP chief Nitin Nabin, the previous representative of the Bankipur constituency – a fact highlighted by Kishor.Nabin moved to the Upper House after being appointed BJP’s national president.The date for the Bankipur assembly bypoll is yet to be announced.“Bankipur is the seat of the BJP’s national president. For the past 40 years, no party or leader has managed to defeat the BJP there,” Kishor told reporters in Patna.He added, “The (BJP-led) NDA won by giving the people of the state Rs 10,000 and by misleading them with false promises. For the first time, someone from the BJP is chief minister. So, the by-election will effectively serve as a referendum on the promises made in November 2025. The public will have the right to vote on those promises — whether it was the pledge to provide Rs 2 lakh, the promise to halt migration from Bihar, or the commitment to improve the education system and employment opportunities.”The former poll strategist further stated that it is for this reason that JSP should contest Bankipur with “full force”.The JSP, launched by Kishor in October 2024, made its electoral debut in the Bihar Assembly polls. However, it drew a blank despite contesting 238 of the 243 constituencies.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosIndus Waters Treaty To Stay Suspended Until Pakistan Ends Support For Terrorism, Says IndiaDelhi Police Clears Cockroach Janata Party Protest At Jantar Mantar Amid Exam Irregularity RowIndia Rebukes Pakistan At UN, Reasserts Jammu & Kashmir As Integral Part Of The CountryIndia-US Trade Pact Set For First Breakthrough As Initial Agreement Nears Mid-July Finish LinePatna Protest Case: Khan Sir Booked Under Attempted Murder ChargeTMC Reorganises Bengal Unit: Chandrima Bhattacharya Appointed PresidentWhat Training 5 Lakh Indian Army Personnel In Drone Operations Means For Future Wars?Indian Navy Invites Domestic Industry to Build 80-mm Aero Rockets for MiG-29K FleetDelhi Fire Horror: Owner’s Bangladesh-Linked Arrest Draws AttentionIndia Urges Faster Bangladesh Verification To Deport Illegal Migrants123PhotostoriesTop 7 Pune localities offering affordable rentals and excellent connectivityHow to make South Indian Raw Mango Rice for Saturday lunch at home7 cardiologist-recommended summer diet tips for a stronger, healthier heartAre you a frazzled parent? 4 ways to know it and what can help6/6 Portal: Manifest your desires according to your birth dateFrom Chaach to Papaya: UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s daily diet at the age of 54Success quote of the day by Ralph Waldo Emerson: “The only person you are destined to become is…”8 protein-rich chilla for weekend breakfast made under 10 minutes10 entrance foyer designs that create a premium first impression in modern apartmentsBefore saying ‘Yes’: 10 non-negotiables every woman should identify123Hot PicksH1B ProgramKS BharatCaitlin ClarkJoe BurrowKCET result 2026Cooper KuppCockroach Janta PartyDonald TrumpEarthquake NewsTop TrendingCJP ProtestKarnataka Constable RecruitmentTS Inter Supplementary ResultsIndia vs Afghanistan ScoreAnnamalai BJP exitE85 FuelDelhi hotel fireKhan sir coaching fireDelhi Plice HCM Result 2026Pawan Kalyan

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AI generated image The first sight of the new dawn rolls in with almost evocative sceneries. The morning dew sits fresh on the leaves. The temperature offers a brief respite from the waves of oven-like heat to come and the sky is a thousand different shades of yellow and orange.But something is not quite right.The song of the birds is no longer the soundtrack of dawn. Honking cars have seemingly replaced them in most urban metropolitan cities. Now that it is gone its absence leaves a loud reminder. The chirps you did not know you were listening to, the ambient sounds that were always there, suddenly went quiet.The house sparrow has not disappeared. It has simply been pushed out. From our balconies, our memories, our cities. And the places it has gone tell a story we do not want to hear.The decline in sparrows is a global issue with BirdLife International reporting that the population has decreased by nearly 64% in Europe since the 1970s. The British Trust for Ornithology estimated that the sparrow population in London alone had declined by 71 per cent between 1994 and 2002. The decline is also observed in North America and parts of Asia, with the maximum decline occurring in urban and suburban areas.India is also no stranger to this disappearance, and the reason behind it is not really a mystery. The sparrow population in Andhra Pradesh alone dropped by 80 per cent. In Kerala, Gujarat and Rajasthan, it dipped by 20 per cent. The decline in coastal areas was as sharp as 70 to 80 per cent. In parts of Thiruvananthapuram, where volunteers had noticed small flocks of six to eight sparrows until 1998, they had disappeared without a trace by 2003. The reason behind this loss is not really a mystery.The architecture of absenceWalk through the narrow lanes of old cities, you might find nooks and crannies that the sparrow still feels comfortable calling its home. Hidden in the parts of the old city which still respect the sanctity of its presence.As the city transforms and skyscrapers pollute the sky lines of metropolitans, trees and parks are uprooted for crowded infrastructure, the sparrow also exits. It leaves behind a home it no longer recognises.Bird researcher Sujan Chatterjee puts it bluntly: “Modern architecture plays a decisive role here. Older homes, with their ventilators, tiled roofs, and small gaps, offered natural nesting spaces. Today’s glass-and-concrete structures are sealed, smooth, and inhospitable.”Old, spacious buildings are being replaced by matchbox flats. Hedges are being replaced by wrought iron fences. Gardens are paved, leaving no mud for sparrows to bathe in. The criss-crossing cable wires and the flow of electromagnetic waves from cellphone towers injure the sparrows, causing irritation and reducing their reproductive capacity.The bird that once nested in every balcony, that woke generations of Indians with its insistent chirp, that was so common it was almost invisible — that bird is now a marker of class. Its presence or absence tells you more about a neighbourhood than any real estate brochure ever could.A sparrow needs three things: a place to nest, food to eat, and water to drink. It is a relatively sedentary bird, not travelling more than a kilometre or two in search of food. It prefers thatched houses and bungalows to concrete structures such as flats to build its nests.In old neighbourhoods, buildings provide nesting spaces naturally. In new neighbourhoods, buildings are sealed. Glass facades and smooth concrete, no eaves, no gaps and no crevices. Air conditioning units are installed in ways that block, rather than create, small spaces. Modern architecture is architecture that keeps birds out.Why Sparrows Leave Modern CitiesThe food question is equally telling. Sparrows feed on seeds, grains, and insects. On average, each sparrow eats about 1,000 caterpillars per year. As Chatterjee notes, “Increased pesticide use has reduced insect populations, which are critical for feeding sparrow chicks. Clean, sanitised cityscapes, while visually appealing, have removed the very resources that once sustained sparrows.” The reduction in the number of insects is a boon for your home but a bane for the sparrows.Even the water equation has changed. In old neighbourhoods, water is everywhere. Open drains, leaking pipes, uncovered buckets, birdbaths in courtyards. A sparrow never has to fly far to drink. In new neighbourhoods, drains are covered and pipes no longer leak as much. Water is contained, controlled, cleaned. This is good for hygiene but terrible for sparrows.The hidden killersThe introduction of unleaded petrol may also be playing a role. Denis Summers-Smith’s theory suggests that unleaded fuel, believed to be eco-friendly, has harmful byproducts. The fuel uses Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) as an anti-knocking agent. Along with byproducts of combustion, this kills small insects. Though adult sparrows can survive without insects in their diet, they need them to feed their young.Air pollution is another factor. Rising pollution levels in metropolitan cities indicate that the air is becoming dangerously toxic — for birds and humans alike. Since sparrows are mainly grain eaters, their decline could also mean that the grains we are consuming contain higher amounts of pesticides than before.Pigeons have become aggressive competitors. They occupy nesting spaces and often damage sparrow nests. Rising crow populations pose an additional threat. Unlike crows, which have adapted to thrive on human waste, sparrows cannot survive on garbage. They depend on specific ecological conditions: access to seeds, insects for their young, and safe nesting spaces. The world functions with the philosophy of survival of the fittest at every level.Invasive species such as starlings also compete with sparrows for food. These birds often have a more flexible diet, occupying urban niches more readily and outcompeting sparrows for habitats and resources.Increased predation by cats and competition for food by other species, including pigeons, crows and mynahs, has made survival even harder.The pattern is clear across India. In older, traditionally built, mixed-use neighbourhoods , where people live, work and trade in the same lanes, sparrows still survive. These are often the city’s poorer, more crowded, less “planned” areas. The ones that real estate developers are desperate to redevelop.In newer, wealthier, gated, sanitised neighbourhoods, where houses are set back from the road, where every building is sealed, where every open space is manicured, sparrows have vanished.Why sparrows matterSparrows are not just nice neighbours. They play a crucial role in the ecosystem. They consume insects, which controls pests and reduces the need for pesticides. A new study has indicated that the loss of birds may contribute to the spread of diseases among humans. High bird diversity appears to protect humans from exposure to the West Nile Virus, which is transmitted by mosquitoes. Where there are more birds to bite, mosquitoes will bite proportionately fewer people, partly reducing their chances of picking up or spreading the infection.The spread of diseases due to decline in sparrow population is an alarming danger.In Hyderabad, a grassroots effort has begun to show what targeted intervention can achieve. The ‘Bring Back Sparrow’ campaign, launched in 2016 by the Animal Warriors Conservation Society, set out with a simple idea: if natural nesting spaces are disappearing, why not create them?Over the past decade, the organisation has installed more than 1,600 nest boxes across areas such as Ameenpur, Gachibowli, Dilsukh Nagar, and Alwal. In addition, over 1,000 nest boxes are distributed each year to households, institutions, and community groups. Nearly 20,000 sparrows have returned to these areas.In Mumbai, Mohammed Dilaraw started the Box Initiative, putting up little wooden boxes on trees that sparrows could use as nests. He also kept little feeders with grains, insects and water to help the sparrows settle.In Chennai, the Koodugal Trust has involved school children in constructing nests for sparrows. Between 2020 and 2024, the trust constructed more than 10,000 nests. School children make small wooden houses that serve as shelter and provide food for sparrows. The effort has noticeably increased the number of sparrows in the area.In Mysuru, Karnataka, the ‘Early Bird’ initiative introduces children to birds through a library, activity kits, and excursions to villages to watch birds. These learning efforts are making children aware and knowledgeable about the role of sparrows and other birds in the ecosystem.Rajya Sabha member Brij Lal has installed 50 nests in his house. Every year, sparrows come to lay eggs in them. He takes care of them and provides them with food. His actions were appreciated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who highlighted the role of such individual efforts in conservation.What needs to changeChatterjee believes the answer lies less in grand interventions and more in restraint.”We often say sparrows have disappeared. But instead of asking why, we should ask what kind of spaces we are creating,” he explains.The solution, he suggests, is to allow nature to return. “Keep parts of your garden unmanicured. Let it grow. Leave some spaces undisturbed. Animals are not difficult to bring back, but you have to leave space for them.””Beauty and habitat don’t always go hand in hand,” Chatterjee says. “If everything is trimmed, cleaned, and controlled, there’s nothing left for wildlife.”At a policy level, he suggests bird-friendly infrastructure. “It can begin with something as simple as rethinking our road boulevards, planting native bird-friendly shrubs, and reducing plastic use. Birds and butterflies need dense shrubs and undergrowth as hiding and nesting spaces. If we keep trimming, cleaning, and manicuring everything in the name of beautification, we risk erasing the very habitats they depend on.”You do not need a government scheme to save a sparrow. Leave out a bowl of water on your balcony, let a corner of your garden grow wild, plant something native instead of another exotic ornamental, put up a nest box where an air conditioner could have gone. Throw out some weed seeds now and then.The sparrow has not gone far. It is waiting for space.The dawn is still beautiful, the dew still settles, and the sky still burns orange and yellow. We cannot silence the honking, but we can make room for the chirping again.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosIndus Waters Treaty To Stay Suspended Until Pakistan Ends Support For Terrorism, Says IndiaDelhi Police Clears Cockroach Janata Party Protest At Jantar Mantar Amid Exam Irregularity RowIndia Rebukes Pakistan At UN, Reasserts Jammu & Kashmir As Integral Part Of The CountryIndia-US Trade Pact Set For First Breakthrough As Initial Agreement Nears Mid-July Finish LinePatna Protest Case: Khan Sir Booked Under Attempted Murder ChargeTMC Reorganises Bengal Unit: Chandrima Bhattacharya Appointed PresidentWhat Training 5 Lakh Indian Army Personnel In Drone Operations Means For Future Wars?Indian Navy Invites Domestic Industry to Build 80-mm Aero Rockets for MiG-29K FleetDelhi Fire Horror: Owner’s Bangladesh-Linked Arrest Draws AttentionIndia Urges Faster Bangladesh Verification To Deport Illegal Migrants123PhotostoriesTop 7 Pune localities offering affordable rentals and excellent connectivityHow to make South Indian Raw Mango Rice for Saturday lunch at home7 cardiologist-recommended summer diet tips for a stronger, healthier heartAre you a frazzled parent? 4 ways to know it and what can help6/6 Portal: Manifest your desires according to your birth dateFrom Chaach to Papaya: UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s daily diet at the age of 54Success quote of the day by Ralph Waldo Emerson: “The only person you are destined to become is…”8 protein-rich chilla for weekend breakfast made under 10 minutes10 entrance foyer designs that create a premium first impression in modern apartmentsBefore saying ‘Yes’: 10 non-negotiables every woman should identify123Hot PicksH1B ProgramKS BharatCaitlin ClarkJoe BurrowKCET result 2026Cooper KuppCockroach Janta PartyDonald TrumpEarthquake NewsTop TrendingCJP ProtestKarnataka Constable RecruitmentTS Inter Supplementary ResultsIndia vs Afghanistan ScoreAnnamalai BJP exitE85 FuelDelhi hotel fireKhan sir coaching fireDelhi Plice HCM Result 2026Pawan Kalyan

AI generated image The first sight of the new dawn rolls in with almost evocative sceneries. The morning dew sits fresh on the leaves. The temperature offers a brief respite from the waves of oven-like heat to come and the sky is a thousand different shades of yellow and orange.But something is not quite right.The song of the birds is no longer the soundtrack of dawn. Honking cars have seemingly replaced them in most urban metropolitan cities. Now that it is gone its absence leaves a loud reminder. The chirps you did not know you were listening to, the ambient sounds that were always there, suddenly went quiet.The house sparrow has not disappeared. It has simply been pushed out. From our balconies, our memories, our cities. And the places it has gone tell a story we do not want to hear.The decline in sparrows is a global issue with BirdLife International reporting that the population has decreased by nearly 64% in Europe since the 1970s. The British Trust for Ornithology estimated that the sparrow population in London alone had declined by 71 per cent between 1994 and 2002. The decline is also observed in North America and parts of Asia, with the maximum decline occurring in urban and suburban areas.India is also no stranger to this disappearance, and the reason behind it is not really a mystery. The sparrow population in Andhra Pradesh alone dropped by 80 per cent. In Kerala, Gujarat and Rajasthan, it dipped by 20 per cent. The decline in coastal areas was as sharp as 70 to 80 per cent. In parts of Thiruvananthapuram, where volunteers had noticed small flocks of six to eight sparrows until 1998, they had disappeared without a trace by 2003. The reason behind this loss is not really a mystery.The architecture of absenceWalk through the narrow lanes of old cities, you might find nooks and crannies that the sparrow still feels comfortable calling its home. Hidden in the parts of the old city which still respect the sanctity of its presence.As the city transforms and skyscrapers pollute the sky lines of metropolitans, trees and parks are uprooted for crowded infrastructure, the sparrow also exits. It leaves behind a home it no longer recognises.Bird researcher Sujan Chatterjee puts it bluntly: “Modern architecture plays a decisive role here. Older homes, with their ventilators, tiled roofs, and small gaps, offered natural nesting spaces. Today’s glass-and-concrete structures are sealed, smooth, and inhospitable.”Old, spacious buildings are being replaced by matchbox flats. Hedges are being replaced by wrought iron fences. Gardens are paved, leaving no mud for sparrows to bathe in. The criss-crossing cable wires and the flow of electromagnetic waves from cellphone towers injure the sparrows, causing irritation and reducing their reproductive capacity.The bird that once nested in every balcony, that woke generations of Indians with its insistent chirp, that was so common it was almost invisible — that bird is now a marker of class. Its presence or absence tells you more about a neighbourhood than any real estate brochure ever could.A sparrow needs three things: a place to nest, food to eat, and water to drink. It is a relatively sedentary bird, not travelling more than a kilometre or two in search of food. It prefers thatched houses and bungalows to concrete structures such as flats to build its nests.In old neighbourhoods, buildings provide nesting spaces naturally. In new neighbourhoods, buildings are sealed. Glass facades and smooth concrete, no eaves, no gaps and no crevices. Air conditioning units are installed in ways that block, rather than create, small spaces. Modern architecture is architecture that keeps birds out.Why Sparrows Leave Modern CitiesThe food question is equally telling. Sparrows feed on seeds, grains, and insects. On average, each sparrow eats about 1,000 caterpillars per year. As Chatterjee notes, “Increased pesticide use has reduced insect populations, which are critical for feeding sparrow chicks. Clean, sanitised cityscapes, while visually appealing, have removed the very resources that once sustained sparrows.” The reduction in the number of insects is a boon for your home but a bane for the sparrows.Even the water equation has changed. In old neighbourhoods, water is everywhere. Open drains, leaking pipes, uncovered buckets, birdbaths in courtyards. A sparrow never has to fly far to drink. In new neighbourhoods, drains are covered and pipes no longer leak as much. Water is contained, controlled, cleaned. This is good for hygiene but terrible for sparrows.The hidden killersThe introduction of unleaded petrol may also be playing a role. Denis Summers-Smith’s theory suggests that unleaded fuel, believed to be eco-friendly, has harmful byproducts. The fuel uses Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) as an anti-knocking agent. Along with byproducts of combustion, this kills small insects. Though adult sparrows can survive without insects in their diet, they need them to feed their young.Air pollution is another factor. Rising pollution levels in metropolitan cities indicate that the air is becoming dangerously toxic — for birds and humans alike. Since sparrows are mainly grain eaters, their decline could also mean that the grains we are consuming contain higher amounts of pesticides than before.Pigeons have become aggressive competitors. They occupy nesting spaces and often damage sparrow nests. Rising crow populations pose an additional threat. Unlike crows, which have adapted to thrive on human waste, sparrows cannot survive on garbage. They depend on specific ecological conditions: access to seeds, insects for their young, and safe nesting spaces. The world functions with the philosophy of survival of the fittest at every level.Invasive species such as starlings also compete with sparrows for food. These birds often have a more flexible diet, occupying urban niches more readily and outcompeting sparrows for habitats and resources.Increased predation by cats and competition for food by other species, including pigeons, crows and mynahs, has made survival even harder.The pattern is clear across India. In older, traditionally built, mixed-use neighbourhoods , where people live, work and trade in the same lanes, sparrows still survive. These are often the city’s poorer, more crowded, less “planned” areas. The ones that real estate developers are desperate to redevelop.In newer, wealthier, gated, sanitised neighbourhoods, where houses are set back from the road, where every building is sealed, where every open space is manicured, sparrows have vanished.Why sparrows matterSparrows are not just nice neighbours. They play a crucial role in the ecosystem. They consume insects, which controls pests and reduces the need for pesticides. A new study has indicated that the loss of birds may contribute to the spread of diseases among humans. High bird diversity appears to protect humans from exposure to the West Nile Virus, which is transmitted by mosquitoes. Where there are more birds to bite, mosquitoes will bite proportionately fewer people, partly reducing their chances of picking up or spreading the infection.The spread of diseases due to decline in sparrow population is an alarming danger.In Hyderabad, a grassroots effort has begun to show what targeted intervention can achieve. The ‘Bring Back Sparrow’ campaign, launched in 2016 by the Animal Warriors Conservation Society, set out with a simple idea: if natural nesting spaces are disappearing, why not create them?Over the past decade, the organisation has installed more than 1,600 nest boxes across areas such as Ameenpur, Gachibowli, Dilsukh Nagar, and Alwal. In addition, over 1,000 nest boxes are distributed each year to households, institutions, and community groups. Nearly 20,000 sparrows have returned to these areas.In Mumbai, Mohammed Dilaraw started the Box Initiative, putting up little wooden boxes on trees that sparrows could use as nests. He also kept little feeders with grains, insects and water to help the sparrows settle.In Chennai, the Koodugal Trust has involved school children in constructing nests for sparrows. Between 2020 and 2024, the trust constructed more than 10,000 nests. School children make small wooden houses that serve as shelter and provide food for sparrows. The effort has noticeably increased the number of sparrows in the area.In Mysuru, Karnataka, the ‘Early Bird’ initiative introduces children to birds through a library, activity kits, and excursions to villages to watch birds. These learning efforts are making children aware and knowledgeable about the role of sparrows and other birds in the ecosystem.Rajya Sabha member Brij Lal has installed 50 nests in his house. Every year, sparrows come to lay eggs in them. He takes care of them and provides them with food. His actions were appreciated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who highlighted the role of such individual efforts in conservation.What needs to changeChatterjee believes the answer lies less in grand interventions and more in restraint.”We often say sparrows have disappeared. But instead of asking why, we should ask what kind of spaces we are creating,” he explains.The solution, he suggests, is to allow nature to return. “Keep parts of your garden unmanicured. Let it grow. Leave some spaces undisturbed. Animals are not difficult to bring back, but you have to leave space for them.””Beauty and habitat don’t always go hand in hand,” Chatterjee says. “If everything is trimmed, cleaned, and controlled, there’s nothing left for wildlife.”At a policy level, he suggests bird-friendly infrastructure. “It can begin with something as simple as rethinking our road boulevards, planting native bird-friendly shrubs, and reducing plastic use. Birds and butterflies need dense shrubs and undergrowth as hiding and nesting spaces. If we keep trimming, cleaning, and manicuring everything in the name of beautification, we risk erasing the very habitats they depend on.”You do not need a government scheme to save a sparrow. Leave out a bowl of water on your balcony, let a corner of your garden grow wild, plant something native instead of another exotic ornamental, put up a nest box where an air conditioner could have gone. Throw out some weed seeds now and then.The sparrow has not gone far. It is waiting for space.The dawn is still beautiful, the dew still settles, and the sky still burns orange and yellow. We cannot silence the honking, but we can make room for the chirping again.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosIndus Waters Treaty To Stay Suspended Until Pakistan Ends Support For Terrorism, Says IndiaDelhi Police Clears Cockroach Janata Party Protest At Jantar Mantar Amid Exam Irregularity RowIndia Rebukes Pakistan At UN, Reasserts Jammu & Kashmir As Integral Part Of The CountryIndia-US Trade Pact Set For First Breakthrough As Initial Agreement Nears Mid-July Finish LinePatna Protest Case: Khan Sir Booked Under Attempted Murder ChargeTMC Reorganises Bengal Unit: Chandrima Bhattacharya Appointed PresidentWhat Training 5 Lakh Indian Army Personnel In Drone Operations Means For Future Wars?Indian Navy Invites Domestic Industry to Build 80-mm Aero Rockets for MiG-29K FleetDelhi Fire Horror: Owner’s Bangladesh-Linked Arrest Draws AttentionIndia Urges Faster Bangladesh Verification To Deport Illegal Migrants123PhotostoriesTop 7 Pune localities offering affordable rentals and excellent connectivityHow to make South Indian Raw Mango Rice for Saturday lunch at home7 cardiologist-recommended summer diet tips for a stronger, healthier heartAre you a frazzled parent? 4 ways to know it and what can help6/6 Portal: Manifest your desires according to your birth dateFrom Chaach to Papaya: UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s daily diet at the age of 54Success quote of the day by Ralph Waldo Emerson: “The only person you are destined to become is…”8 protein-rich chilla for weekend breakfast made under 10 minutes10 entrance foyer designs that create a premium first impression in modern apartmentsBefore saying ‘Yes’: 10 non-negotiables every woman should identify123Hot PicksH1B ProgramKS BharatCaitlin ClarkJoe BurrowKCET result 2026Cooper KuppCockroach Janta PartyDonald TrumpEarthquake NewsTop TrendingCJP ProtestKarnataka Constable RecruitmentTS Inter Supplementary ResultsIndia vs Afghanistan ScoreAnnamalai BJP exitE85 FuelDelhi hotel fireKhan sir coaching fireDelhi Plice HCM Result 2026Pawan Kalyan

Vamsikrishna 0
Mamata Banerjee NEW DELHI: The Trinamool Congress was built around one leader, one family name and one political belief – that Mamata Banerjee alone could hold the party together and lead it to victory every time. Barely a month after a crushing assembly defeat, that belief is facing its biggest test as a rebellion threatens to split the party she founded 28 years ago.Prologue: The unthinkableFor nearly three decades, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) was Mamata Banerjee and Mamata Banerjee was the Trinamool Congress.She founded the party on January 1, 1998, after breaking away from the Congress, spent years battling the seemingly invincible CPM and, in 2011, achieved what many believed impossible: ending 34 years of Left rule in West Bengal.Through relentless street politics, welfare schemes and a carefully cultivated image as “Didi”, she transformed herself into Bengal’s undisputed political centre of gravity.Today, that edifice is facing its gravest crisis.Barely a month after suffering a crushing defeat in the 2026 assembly election, the TMC is confronting a rebellion unprecedented in its 28-year history. Fifty-eight of its 80 MLAs have rallied behind expelled leader Ritabrata Banerjee. The assembly speaker has recognised him as leader of the opposition. Senior leaders are questioning the party’s direction. Committees have been dissolved. And for the first time since the Trinamool’s birth, a rival faction is arguing that it, not Mamata Banerjee’s camp, represents the “real” TMC.The rebellion’s confidence was perhaps best captured by Ritabrata Banerjee’s remark after securing recognition as leader of the opposition in assembly.”We would request Mamata Banerjee to be our chief adviser to this opposition front.”For a leader who founded the party, built it and dominated Bengal politics through it for nearly three decades, the statement was both respectful and revolutionary.It suggested the battle was no longer about reforming the Trinamool Congress from within.It was about inheriting it.Act I: The wheel turnsIn May 2011, Kolkata celebrated the fall of a political giant.The Left front’s 34-year rule – the world’s longest-serving democratically elected communist government – had finally come to an end. Standing before jubilant supporters, Mamata Banerjee sought to reassure a deeply polarised state.”Bodloi noy, bodol chai” – change, not revenge.The slogan became the defining phrase of Bengal’s political transition.Yet Bengal’s political history has rarely followed the script written by its slogans.For more than three decades, the CPM had governed Bengal through a vast ecosystem of local committees, panchayat networks, trade unions, cooperative societies and neighbourhood party offices. In many districts, party offices often wielded more influence than formal institutions.When the regime fell, much of that machinery began moving.Local leaders switched sides. Panchayat chiefs recalibrated loyalties. Contractors adjusted. Organisational networks built under the Left increasingly aligned themselves with the new ruling establishment.Mamata Banerjee did not simply defeat the CPM.She inherited much of the ecosystem that had sustained it.The lesson was simple: in Bengal politics, institutions and leaders often survive by changing colours.Fifteen years later, the cycle appears to be repeating itself.The 2026 assembly election produced one of the most dramatic verdicts in the state’s political history. The BJP won 207 seats and formed its first government in West Bengal. The TMC was reduced to 80 seats. Mamata Banerjee herself lost Bhabanipur to her former lieutenant-turned-rival Suvendu Adhikari.The symbolism was impossible to miss.The politician who had dismantled the Left’s empire now found herself watching another political force dismantle her own. As BJP leaders celebrated, they reached for language strikingly similar to that used by Mamata Banerjee fifteen years earlier.”Badla nahi, badlav.”Not revenge, but change.Yet just as in 2011, political reality proved more complicated than political messaging.Reports of post-poll clashes surfaced from several districts. Local Trinamool workers complained of intimidation. Party offices that had functioned as nerve centres of political power suddenly found themselves vulnerable.Most importantly, the psychology of power changed.For fifteen years, access to government, contracts, influence and protection flowed through the Trinamool Congress.Suddenly, those channels pointed elsewhere.In politics, survival often depends on proximity to power.And power had changed hands.The first sign that the crisis ran deeper than an electoral defeat came in Falta.Traditionally regarded as a Trinamool stronghold, the constituency should have offered the party an opportunity to demonstrate resilience after the election debacle.Instead, it delivered a political shock.TMC candidate Jahangir Khan publicly announced his withdrawal from the repoll campaign, though his name remained on the ballot because the deadline for withdrawing nominations had passed.The result was devastating.The BJP won comfortably. The CPM and Congress also finished ahead of the Trinamool Congress.The former ruling party was pushed to fourth place.Within Trinamool circles, the result triggered alarm.Election defeats can be rationalised. A fourth-place finish in a traditional stronghold is harder to explain away.The atmosphere inside the organisation began shifting from disappointment to panic.Act II: Operation crown princeIf the election defeat exposed the Trinamool’s vulnerabilities, what followed revealed its internal fault lines.The seeds of the rebellion were sown almost immediately after the results.According to rebel leaders, the trigger came at a meeting of newly elected MLAs on May 6.At the gathering, Mamata Banerjee reportedly asked legislators to rise and applaud her nephew and party national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee for his role in the election campaign.What was intended as recognition was interpreted very differently by a section of legislators.Expelled MLA Sandipan Saha would later describe the episode as a turning point.”As for the trigger point, it occurred following the party’s electoral defeat. When we attended the party meeting, a directive was issued to all MLAs. No one was permitted to utter a single word of criticism regarding Abhishek. Instead, we were instructed that he had performed exceptionally well and that everyone must rise to accord him a standing ovation,” Saha alleged.His criticism became even sharper.”This included MLAs who have been serving in the assembly since a time when Abhishek Banerjee was likely still attending school. They too were compelled to stand up and join in the standing ovation,” the rebel leader said.The comments offer perhaps the clearest window yet into what the rebellion is really about.The rebels insist they are fighting to save the Trinamool Congress, but perhaps their battle is against what they see as the growing concentration of power around Abhishek Banerjee.For years, Mamata’s nephew had been viewed as the party’s political heir. He was entrusted with organisational responsibilities, election management and strategic decision-making. As national general secretary, he increasingly became the face of the next generation.But succession politics inevitably creates winners and losers.Many senior leaders who had spent decades building the party felt sidelined as younger leaders rose through the ranks. Others worried that decision-making was becoming concentrated within an increasingly small circle.The first public signs of dissent emerged on May 19.At a party meeting, Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha questioned why Falta MLA Jahangir Khan had not been expelled despite publicly distancing himself from the repoll campaign.Since Jahangir was widely seen as being close to Abhishek Banerjee, the criticism was interpreted as a direct challenge to the power structure evolving around him.The turning point came three days later.On May 22, Ritabrata Banerjee, who was in Delhi to complete formalities following the end of his Rajya Sabha tenure, visited Banga Bhavan for lunch.There, he had what PTI described as an “accidental” meeting with chief minister Suvendu Adhikari.Soon afterwards, another controversy engulfed the party.On May 25, allegations surfaced that signatures of several legislators had been forged on documents submitted to the Speaker regarding the leadership structure of the legislature party.The issue quickly escalated.On May 27, Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha formally complained to the speaker. The assembly secretariat approached police. A CID investigation was launched.As legislators were questioned, what began as a procedural dispute evolved into a political rebellion.The signature controversy became a rallying point for disgruntled MLAs.Meetings multiplied. Lobbying intensified. And factions emerged.The crisis deepened further after Abhishek Banerjee came under a mob attack during a visit to Sonarpur on May 30.While political parties condemned the incident, several TMC leaders privately noted the muted response from sections of the organisation, interpreting it as evidence of a widening disconnect between the leadership and elected representatives.By the end of May, the erosion of authority had become visible.A meeting convened by Mamata Banerjee at her Kalighat residence reportedly witnessed poor attendance, depriving the leadership of the show of unity it had hoped to project.The rebel campaign had gained momentum and its target was unmistakable.Act III: Et Tu, TMC?The decisive rupture came on June 1.Hours after it became public that the CID probe had been initiated on complaints filed by Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha, the TMC expelled both leaders.Instead of containing the crisis, the move accelerated it.The expelled leaders sharpened their attack on Abhishek Banerjee, accusing him of centralising authority within the organisation.Support rapidly shifted towards the dissidents.Then came the moment that transformed a political rebellion into an institutional reality.On June 4, a group of 58 MLAs submitted a letter to the speaker electing Ritabrata Banerjee as leader of the legislature party and nominating a new leadership team. The speaker accepted their claim.For the first time in the party’s history, a majority of Trinamool legislators had openly defied Mamata Banerjee.The rebels justified their actions as necessary for the effective functioning of the opposition.”After deliberating among ourselves, we concluded that if we were to effectively discharge our duties within the assembly and serve our respective constituencies, we needed to form a distinct group,” Sandipan Saha said.”Furthermore, we determined that this group should constitute the principal opposition and that the Leader of the Opposition should be selected from within this group.”The battle soon centred on competing claims over the leader of the opposition post.Mamata Banerjee had proposed Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay.The rebels challenged the process.”Some MLAs were not even present for selecting the LoP, yet their names were inscribed in block letters,” Saha alleged.”When we voiced our objections, we submitted a formal letter to the speaker, who then ordered an inquiry. Once the inquiry commenced, evidence began to surface confirming the veracity of these allegations. Other MLAs began reaching out to us.”The face of this rebellion is among the most unlikely in Bengal politics.Ritabrata Banerjee began his political career in the CPM and rose rapidly through the Students Federation of India. He became one of the Left’s most visible young leaders and was rewarded with a Rajya Sabha seat.Then the CPM expelled him.After a period in political wilderness, he joined the TMC, where he rebuilt his career, headed the party’s trade union wing, secured another Rajya Sabha term and eventually entered the assembly.Not long ago, he was publicly invoking Vladimir Lenin while explaining Mamata Banerjee’s political appeal.Today, he is leading the biggest revolt against her.And parallels with Maharashtra’s Shiv Sena and NCP splits are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.Like Eknath Shinde an Ajit Pawar, Ritabrata’s strategy has centred on demonstrating legislative strength rather than organisational control.The difference is that this battle is unfolding entirely within opposition politics.Yet the danger for Mamata Banerjee remains enormous.If the rebels can demonstrate influence beyond the assembly – in Parliament, local bodies and organisational structures – they may eventually seek recognition as the authentic TMC.That battle could determine ownership of the party’s name, symbol and political inheritance.The fallout has already begun.The TMC dissolved its committees and frontal organisations, citing the need for introspection.Then came another symbolic blow.Firhad Hakim, one of Mamata Banerjee’s closest political associates, stepped down as Kolkata mayor.The crisis was no longer confined to the assembly, it was spreading through the organisation itself.Epilogue: The empire strikes itselfThe tragedy of politics is not that leaders lose power. It is that they often become victims of the same systems they once mastered.The Left front built a vast political machine and watched it migrate to the TMC.The TMC built an even larger machine and is now watching parts of it drift away in search of a new centre of gravity.Not long ago, Ritabrata Banerjee was invoking Lenin to explain Mamata Banerjee’s appeal among ordinary Bengalis. Today, he leads the biggest challenge to her authority since she founded the party in 1998.The irony is difficult to miss.In 2011, Mamata Banerjee inherited a political ecosystem abandoned by the Left.In 2026, she is watching parts of her own machine drift away in search of a new political home.The twin flowers once replaced the hammer and sickle.Now they are fighting to avoid the same fate.About the AuthorPallaviNews desk journalist, digital, at The Times of India, with a focus on Indian politics. Over a decade of chasing stories, taming headlines and arguing with commas like they’re part of the opposition. Tracks elections, policy pivots, party drama and the fine print of power, where every word can tilt the narrative. Believes good journalism is clarity under pressure, ideally filed before the next breaking alert crashes in. Powered by deadlines, context, sharp edits and a steady supply of strong tea.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosIndus Waters Treaty To Stay Suspended Until Pakistan Ends Support For Terrorism, Says IndiaDelhi Police Clears Cockroach Janata Party Protest At Jantar Mantar Amid Exam Irregularity RowIndia Rebukes Pakistan At UN, Reasserts Jammu & Kashmir As Integral Part Of The CountryIndia-US Trade Pact Set For First Breakthrough As Initial Agreement Nears Mid-July Finish LinePatna Protest Case: Khan Sir Booked Under Attempted Murder ChargeTMC Reorganises Bengal Unit: Chandrima Bhattacharya Appointed PresidentWhat Training 5 Lakh Indian Army Personnel In Drone Operations Means For Future Wars?Indian Navy Invites Domestic Industry to Build 80-mm Aero Rockets for MiG-29K FleetDelhi Fire Horror: Owner’s Bangladesh-Linked Arrest Draws AttentionIndia Urges Faster Bangladesh Verification To Deport Illegal Migrants123PhotostoriesTop 7 Pune localities offering affordable rentals and excellent connectivityHow to make South Indian Raw Mango Rice for Saturday lunch at home7 cardiologist-recommended summer diet tips for a stronger, healthier heartAre you a frazzled parent? 4 ways to know it and what can help6/6 Portal: Manifest your desires according to your birth dateFrom Chaach to Papaya: UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s daily diet at the age of 54Success quote of the day by Ralph Waldo Emerson: “The only person you are destined to become is…”8 protein-rich chilla for weekend breakfast made under 10 minutes10 entrance foyer designs that create a premium first impression in modern apartmentsBefore saying ‘Yes’: 10 non-negotiables every woman should identify123Hot PicksH1B ProgramKS BharatCaitlin ClarkJoe BurrowKCET result 2026Cooper KuppCockroach Janta PartyDonald TrumpEarthquake NewsTop TrendingCJP ProtestKarnataka Constable RecruitmentTS Inter Supplementary ResultsIndia vs Afghanistan ScoreAnnamalai BJP exitE85 FuelDelhi hotel fireKhan sir coaching fireDelhi Plice HCM Result 2026Pawan Kalyan

Mamata Banerjee NEW DELHI: The Trinamool Congress was built around one leader, one family name and one political belief – that Mamata Banerjee alone could hold the party together and lead it to victory every time. Barely a month after a crushing assembly defeat, that belief is facing its biggest test as a rebellion threatens to split the party she founded 28 years ago.Prologue: The unthinkableFor nearly three decades, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) was Mamata Banerjee and Mamata Banerjee was the Trinamool Congress.She founded the party on January 1, 1998, after breaking away from the Congress, spent years battling the seemingly invincible CPM and, in 2011, achieved what many believed impossible: ending 34 years of Left rule in West Bengal.Through relentless street politics, welfare schemes and a carefully cultivated image as “Didi”, she transformed herself into Bengal’s undisputed political centre of gravity.Today, that edifice is facing its gravest crisis.Barely a month after suffering a crushing defeat in the 2026 assembly election, the TMC is confronting a rebellion unprecedented in its 28-year history. Fifty-eight of its 80 MLAs have rallied behind expelled leader Ritabrata Banerjee. The assembly speaker has recognised him as leader of the opposition. Senior leaders are questioning the party’s direction. Committees have been dissolved. And for the first time since the Trinamool’s birth, a rival faction is arguing that it, not Mamata Banerjee’s camp, represents the “real” TMC.The rebellion’s confidence was perhaps best captured by Ritabrata Banerjee’s remark after securing recognition as leader of the opposition in assembly.”We would request Mamata Banerjee to be our chief adviser to this opposition front.”For a leader who founded the party, built it and dominated Bengal politics through it for nearly three decades, the statement was both respectful and revolutionary.It suggested the battle was no longer about reforming the Trinamool Congress from within.It was about inheriting it.Act I: The wheel turnsIn May 2011, Kolkata celebrated the fall of a political giant.The Left front’s 34-year rule – the world’s longest-serving democratically elected communist government – had finally come to an end. Standing before jubilant supporters, Mamata Banerjee sought to reassure a deeply polarised state.”Bodloi noy, bodol chai” – change, not revenge.The slogan became the defining phrase of Bengal’s political transition.Yet Bengal’s political history has rarely followed the script written by its slogans.For more than three decades, the CPM had governed Bengal through a vast ecosystem of local committees, panchayat networks, trade unions, cooperative societies and neighbourhood party offices. In many districts, party offices often wielded more influence than formal institutions.When the regime fell, much of that machinery began moving.Local leaders switched sides. Panchayat chiefs recalibrated loyalties. Contractors adjusted. Organisational networks built under the Left increasingly aligned themselves with the new ruling establishment.Mamata Banerjee did not simply defeat the CPM.She inherited much of the ecosystem that had sustained it.The lesson was simple: in Bengal politics, institutions and leaders often survive by changing colours.Fifteen years later, the cycle appears to be repeating itself.The 2026 assembly election produced one of the most dramatic verdicts in the state’s political history. The BJP won 207 seats and formed its first government in West Bengal. The TMC was reduced to 80 seats. Mamata Banerjee herself lost Bhabanipur to her former lieutenant-turned-rival Suvendu Adhikari.The symbolism was impossible to miss.The politician who had dismantled the Left’s empire now found herself watching another political force dismantle her own. As BJP leaders celebrated, they reached for language strikingly similar to that used by Mamata Banerjee fifteen years earlier.”Badla nahi, badlav.”Not revenge, but change.Yet just as in 2011, political reality proved more complicated than political messaging.Reports of post-poll clashes surfaced from several districts. Local Trinamool workers complained of intimidation. Party offices that had functioned as nerve centres of political power suddenly found themselves vulnerable.Most importantly, the psychology of power changed.For fifteen years, access to government, contracts, influence and protection flowed through the Trinamool Congress.Suddenly, those channels pointed elsewhere.In politics, survival often depends on proximity to power.And power had changed hands.The first sign that the crisis ran deeper than an electoral defeat came in Falta.Traditionally regarded as a Trinamool stronghold, the constituency should have offered the party an opportunity to demonstrate resilience after the election debacle.Instead, it delivered a political shock.TMC candidate Jahangir Khan publicly announced his withdrawal from the repoll campaign, though his name remained on the ballot because the deadline for withdrawing nominations had passed.The result was devastating.The BJP won comfortably. The CPM and Congress also finished ahead of the Trinamool Congress.The former ruling party was pushed to fourth place.Within Trinamool circles, the result triggered alarm.Election defeats can be rationalised. A fourth-place finish in a traditional stronghold is harder to explain away.The atmosphere inside the organisation began shifting from disappointment to panic.Act II: Operation crown princeIf the election defeat exposed the Trinamool’s vulnerabilities, what followed revealed its internal fault lines.The seeds of the rebellion were sown almost immediately after the results.According to rebel leaders, the trigger came at a meeting of newly elected MLAs on May 6.At the gathering, Mamata Banerjee reportedly asked legislators to rise and applaud her nephew and party national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee for his role in the election campaign.What was intended as recognition was interpreted very differently by a section of legislators.Expelled MLA Sandipan Saha would later describe the episode as a turning point.”As for the trigger point, it occurred following the party’s electoral defeat. When we attended the party meeting, a directive was issued to all MLAs. No one was permitted to utter a single word of criticism regarding Abhishek. Instead, we were instructed that he had performed exceptionally well and that everyone must rise to accord him a standing ovation,” Saha alleged.His criticism became even sharper.”This included MLAs who have been serving in the assembly since a time when Abhishek Banerjee was likely still attending school. They too were compelled to stand up and join in the standing ovation,” the rebel leader said.The comments offer perhaps the clearest window yet into what the rebellion is really about.The rebels insist they are fighting to save the Trinamool Congress, but perhaps their battle is against what they see as the growing concentration of power around Abhishek Banerjee.For years, Mamata’s nephew had been viewed as the party’s political heir. He was entrusted with organisational responsibilities, election management and strategic decision-making. As national general secretary, he increasingly became the face of the next generation.But succession politics inevitably creates winners and losers.Many senior leaders who had spent decades building the party felt sidelined as younger leaders rose through the ranks. Others worried that decision-making was becoming concentrated within an increasingly small circle.The first public signs of dissent emerged on May 19.At a party meeting, Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha questioned why Falta MLA Jahangir Khan had not been expelled despite publicly distancing himself from the repoll campaign.Since Jahangir was widely seen as being close to Abhishek Banerjee, the criticism was interpreted as a direct challenge to the power structure evolving around him.The turning point came three days later.On May 22, Ritabrata Banerjee, who was in Delhi to complete formalities following the end of his Rajya Sabha tenure, visited Banga Bhavan for lunch.There, he had what PTI described as an “accidental” meeting with chief minister Suvendu Adhikari.Soon afterwards, another controversy engulfed the party.On May 25, allegations surfaced that signatures of several legislators had been forged on documents submitted to the Speaker regarding the leadership structure of the legislature party.The issue quickly escalated.On May 27, Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha formally complained to the speaker. The assembly secretariat approached police. A CID investigation was launched.As legislators were questioned, what began as a procedural dispute evolved into a political rebellion.The signature controversy became a rallying point for disgruntled MLAs.Meetings multiplied. Lobbying intensified. And factions emerged.The crisis deepened further after Abhishek Banerjee came under a mob attack during a visit to Sonarpur on May 30.While political parties condemned the incident, several TMC leaders privately noted the muted response from sections of the organisation, interpreting it as evidence of a widening disconnect between the leadership and elected representatives.By the end of May, the erosion of authority had become visible.A meeting convened by Mamata Banerjee at her Kalighat residence reportedly witnessed poor attendance, depriving the leadership of the show of unity it had hoped to project.The rebel campaign had gained momentum and its target was unmistakable.Act III: Et Tu, TMC?The decisive rupture came on June 1.Hours after it became public that the CID probe had been initiated on complaints filed by Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha, the TMC expelled both leaders.Instead of containing the crisis, the move accelerated it.The expelled leaders sharpened their attack on Abhishek Banerjee, accusing him of centralising authority within the organisation.Support rapidly shifted towards the dissidents.Then came the moment that transformed a political rebellion into an institutional reality.On June 4, a group of 58 MLAs submitted a letter to the speaker electing Ritabrata Banerjee as leader of the legislature party and nominating a new leadership team. The speaker accepted their claim.For the first time in the party’s history, a majority of Trinamool legislators had openly defied Mamata Banerjee.The rebels justified their actions as necessary for the effective functioning of the opposition.”After deliberating among ourselves, we concluded that if we were to effectively discharge our duties within the assembly and serve our respective constituencies, we needed to form a distinct group,” Sandipan Saha said.”Furthermore, we determined that this group should constitute the principal opposition and that the Leader of the Opposition should be selected from within this group.”The battle soon centred on competing claims over the leader of the opposition post.Mamata Banerjee had proposed Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay.The rebels challenged the process.”Some MLAs were not even present for selecting the LoP, yet their names were inscribed in block letters,” Saha alleged.”When we voiced our objections, we submitted a formal letter to the speaker, who then ordered an inquiry. Once the inquiry commenced, evidence began to surface confirming the veracity of these allegations. Other MLAs began reaching out to us.”The face of this rebellion is among the most unlikely in Bengal politics.Ritabrata Banerjee began his political career in the CPM and rose rapidly through the Students Federation of India. He became one of the Left’s most visible young leaders and was rewarded with a Rajya Sabha seat.Then the CPM expelled him.After a period in political wilderness, he joined the TMC, where he rebuilt his career, headed the party’s trade union wing, secured another Rajya Sabha term and eventually entered the assembly.Not long ago, he was publicly invoking Vladimir Lenin while explaining Mamata Banerjee’s political appeal.Today, he is leading the biggest revolt against her.And parallels with Maharashtra’s Shiv Sena and NCP splits are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.Like Eknath Shinde an Ajit Pawar, Ritabrata’s strategy has centred on demonstrating legislative strength rather than organisational control.The difference is that this battle is unfolding entirely within opposition politics.Yet the danger for Mamata Banerjee remains enormous.If the rebels can demonstrate influence beyond the assembly – in Parliament, local bodies and organisational structures – they may eventually seek recognition as the authentic TMC.That battle could determine ownership of the party’s name, symbol and political inheritance.The fallout has already begun.The TMC dissolved its committees and frontal organisations, citing the need for introspection.Then came another symbolic blow.Firhad Hakim, one of Mamata Banerjee’s closest political associates, stepped down as Kolkata mayor.The crisis was no longer confined to the assembly, it was spreading through the organisation itself.Epilogue: The empire strikes itselfThe tragedy of politics is not that leaders lose power. It is that they often become victims of the same systems they once mastered.The Left front built a vast political machine and watched it migrate to the TMC.The TMC built an even larger machine and is now watching parts of it drift away in search of a new centre of gravity.Not long ago, Ritabrata Banerjee was invoking Lenin to explain Mamata Banerjee’s appeal among ordinary Bengalis. Today, he leads the biggest challenge to her authority since she founded the party in 1998.The irony is difficult to miss.In 2011, Mamata Banerjee inherited a political ecosystem abandoned by the Left.In 2026, she is watching parts of her own machine drift away in search of a new political home.The twin flowers once replaced the hammer and sickle.Now they are fighting to avoid the same fate.About the AuthorPallaviNews desk journalist, digital, at The Times of India, with a focus on Indian politics. Over a decade of chasing stories, taming headlines and arguing with commas like they’re part of the opposition. Tracks elections, policy pivots, party drama and the fine print of power, where every word can tilt the narrative. Believes good journalism is clarity under pressure, ideally filed before the next breaking alert crashes in. 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