April 20, 2026

President Droupadi Murmu NEW DELHI: President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday gave assent to the Viksit Bharat—Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB—G RAM G) Bill, 2025, which replaces the two-decade-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).The new law aims to provide a statutory guarantee of 125 days of wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer for unskilled manual work. According to an official statement, the legislation “establishes a modern statutory framework aligned with Viksit Bharat 2047, guaranteeing 125 days of wage employment per rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.”The Lok Sabha passed the bill on Thursday amid sustained opposition protests that led to repeated disruptions and the adjournment of the House.Opposition parties, led by the Congress, strongly criticised the repeal of MGNREGA, accusing the government of dismantling the scheme and removing Mahatma Gandhi’s name without proper consultation. On Saturday, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, in a video message, charged the PM Modi government with “bulldozing” MGNREGA and stated that the “black law” seeking to repeal it would be defied by lakhs of party workers across the country. Her statement came a day after Rahul Gandhi said that Congress would compel the government to withdraw the new law. 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 MediaVideosIndia Rejects Dhaka Media Reports On Protest Outside Bangladesh HC, Flags Attack Against MinoritiesViewing ‘Sangh’ Through the Lens of the BJP Is a Huge Mistake, Says RSS Chief Mohan BhagwatBangladesh Arrests 10 After Brutal Killing of Hindu Youth in Mymensingh“Generation After Generation”: Yunus Vows To Fulfil Sharif Osman Hadi’s Vision And IdealsMassive Crowds Gather in Dhaka for State Funeral of Slain Youth Icon Osman HadiPAK Citizens Criticize “Weak Judiciary” As Imran Khan’s Prison Term Is IncreasedHindu Lynching Sparks Outrage: Shashi Tharoor Warns On Mob Rule, Priyanka Blasts Modi Govt SilenceEx-PM Imran Khan And Bushra Bibi Jailed For 17 Years In Toshakhana Gift Jewellery Case’There Is Only One Modi’: Jaishankar Says Leaders Define Nations, Not Ministers Or IndividualsMore Complicated Than Ever: Jaishankar Flags US, China, Russia, Europe As India Faces Harder Choices123PhotostoriesVision Board 2026 based on your birth number, according to astrologyThis famous desert is covered in snow right now and the photos are stunningly beautifulLong-awaited, commuter-friendly, safer: Chennai’s Nanganallur gets direct road to Pazhavanthangal subway6 Japanese habits that quietly upgrade your lifeKajol & Rani Mukerji just brought the 90s ethnic aesthetic back, proving queens never lose their crownDiscover Your Meditation Style Based on Your Birth Date13 timeless principles for wealth and success from Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow RichNutrition fact of the day: Custard apple, the creamy winter fruit that supports digestion and brain healthMumbai reclaims the sea: Rs 887-crore world-class marina to transform harbourfront and boost maritime tourismBaby boy names for those born on Sunday123Hot PicksTom BradyEpstein files releasedTim SaunderGold rate todaySilver rate todayPublic Holidays DecemberBank Holidays DecemberTop TrendingJosh Allen Luxury Car CollectionRandi MahomesAuston MatthewsPatrick MahomesJeremy Doku and Shireen Doku Net WorthUPPSC LT Grade Teacher ExamPaul Heyman and Marla Heyman Net WorthBengaluru TempeturePM Modi HelicopterRailway Fare Hike

Vamsikrishna02 mins mins
President Droupadi Murmu NEW DELHI: President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday gave assent to the Viksit Bharat—Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB—G RAM G) Bill, 2025, which replaces the two-decade-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).The new law aims to provide a statutory guarantee of 125 days of wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer for unskilled manual work. According to an official statement, the legislation “establishes a modern statutory framework aligned with Viksit Bharat 2047, guaranteeing 125 days of wage employment per rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.”The Lok Sabha passed the bill on Thursday amid sustained opposition protests that led to repeated disruptions and the adjournment of the House.Opposition parties, led by the Congress, strongly criticised the repeal of MGNREGA, accusing the government of dismantling the scheme and removing Mahatma Gandhi’s name without proper consultation. On Saturday, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, in a video message, charged the PM Modi government with “bulldozing” MGNREGA and stated that the “black law” seeking to repeal it would be defied by lakhs of party workers across the country. Her statement came a day after Rahul Gandhi said that Congress would compel the government to withdraw the new law. 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 MediaVideosIndia Rejects Dhaka Media Reports On Protest Outside Bangladesh HC, Flags Attack Against MinoritiesViewing ‘Sangh’ Through the Lens of the BJP Is a Huge Mistake, Says RSS Chief Mohan BhagwatBangladesh Arrests 10 After Brutal Killing of Hindu Youth in Mymensingh“Generation After Generation”: Yunus Vows To Fulfil Sharif Osman Hadi’s Vision And IdealsMassive Crowds Gather in Dhaka for State Funeral of Slain Youth Icon Osman HadiPAK Citizens Criticize “Weak Judiciary” As Imran Khan’s Prison Term Is IncreasedHindu Lynching Sparks Outrage: Shashi Tharoor Warns On Mob Rule, Priyanka Blasts Modi Govt SilenceEx-PM Imran Khan And Bushra Bibi Jailed For 17 Years In Toshakhana Gift Jewellery Case’There Is Only One Modi’: Jaishankar Says Leaders Define Nations, Not Ministers Or IndividualsMore Complicated Than Ever: Jaishankar Flags US, China, Russia, Europe As India Faces Harder Choices123PhotostoriesVision Board 2026 based on your birth number, according to astrologyThis famous desert is covered in snow right now and the photos are stunningly beautifulLong-awaited, commuter-friendly, safer: Chennai’s Nanganallur gets direct road to Pazhavanthangal subway6 Japanese habits that quietly upgrade your lifeKajol & Rani Mukerji just brought the 90s ethnic aesthetic back, proving queens never lose their crownDiscover Your Meditation Style Based on Your Birth Date13 timeless principles for wealth and success from Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow RichNutrition fact of the day: Custard apple, the creamy winter fruit that supports digestion and brain healthMumbai reclaims the sea: Rs 887-crore world-class marina to transform harbourfront and boost maritime tourismBaby boy names for those born on Sunday123Hot PicksTom BradyEpstein files releasedTim SaunderGold rate todaySilver rate todayPublic Holidays DecemberBank Holidays DecemberTop TrendingJosh Allen Luxury Car CollectionRandi MahomesAuston MatthewsPatrick MahomesJeremy Doku and Shireen Doku Net WorthUPPSC LT Grade Teacher ExamPaul Heyman and Marla Heyman Net WorthBengaluru TempeturePM Modi HelicopterRailway Fare Hike


VB-G Ram G: President Murmu gives assent to Bill; opposition accuses govt of undermining Gandhi’s legacy

NEW DELHI: President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday gave assent to the Viksit Bharat—Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB—G RAM G) Bill, 2025, which replaces the two-decade-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).The new law aims to provide a statutory guarantee of 125 days of wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer for unskilled manual work. According to an official statement, the legislation “establishes a modern statutory framework aligned with Viksit Bharat 2047, guaranteeing 125 days of wage employment per rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.”The Lok Sabha passed the bill on Thursday amid sustained opposition protests that led to repeated disruptions and the adjournment of the House.Opposition parties, led by the Congress, strongly criticised the repeal of MGNREGA, accusing the government of dismantling the scheme and removing Mahatma Gandhi’s name without proper consultation. On Saturday, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, in a video message, charged the PM Modi government with “bulldozing” MGNREGA and stated that the “black law” seeking to repeal it would be defied by lakhs of party workers across the country. Her statement came a day after Rahul Gandhi said that Congress would compel the government to withdraw the new law.



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NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation on Sunday arrested a senior official of DGCA and a representative of a private company in a bribery case of Rs 2.5 lakhs.According to an official statement, the official was the deputy director general at the airworthiness directorate in directorate general of civil aviation headquarters in New Delhi.”The CBI registered the instant case on 18.04.2026 against an official of Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) along with representative of a private company based in New Delhi on allegation that the accused public servant of DGCA demanded undue advantage from the private persons in lieu of issuing approvals and permissions of applications pending with DGCA,” the probing agency saidLater, the central agency also conducted searches at the premises linked to the accused and other private persons at four locations.”Consequently, searches were conducted by CBI at premises of the accused public servant and other private persons at 04 locations in Delhi resulting in seizure of cash worth Rs 37 lakhs, gold and silver coins and multiple digital devices,” the statement reads.According to the statement, the searches resulted in seizure of cash worth Rs 37 Lakhs, gold and silver coins and multiple digital devices. End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosManipur Erupts In Anger As No Arrests Made After 5 Killings, Protests Turn Violent‘Ripple Impact On India…’: Misri After Indian Tankers Hit In HormuzUS Nationals Detained At Srinagar Airport Over Banned Satellite DeviceNo Fuel Shortage: Govt Assures 100% Domestic Gas Supply As India’s LPG Demand Falls 13% In MarchPM Modi Takes ‘Jhalmuri’ Break, Interacts With Locals In West Bengal’s Jhargram Amid Poll CampaignIndia Warns Iran Of Consequences After Attack On Two Tankers In Strait Of HormuzIndia Expands Export Relief After Hormuz Tensions Adds Egypt & Jordan To Shield Trade RoutesCongress Holds Protest After PM Modi’s Address To The Nation On Women’s Reservation Bill SetbackIndia’s Naval Push In Indo-Pacific: IOS Sagar Departs Phuket After Successful Thailand Port CallManipur Streets Erupt As Security Forces Fire Tear Gas On Protesters | Watch123PhotostoriesBest soil mix tips for healthy plant growthHow to get rid of rats naturally without killing them: Safe home and garden solutions5 style lessons from Amitabh Bachchan’s iconic wardrobeWhy you forget names instantly: It’s not your memory, it’s your attention, and here’s how to fix it5 Horror movies based on real-life events: ‘The Conjuring’, ‘The Exorcist,’ and moreTop 5 sneaker releases of 2026 you shouldn’t missWhy it’s so hard to end long-term relationships as per science, therapist revealsBeautiful Indo-Arabic and Persian baby names quietly used in Indian familiesHe never drank alcohol, yet was diagnosed with severe fatty liver: What this says about modern diets and silent lifestyle risksHow to stop rice flour roti from cracking: 5 proven home tips to make soft and puffed roti123Hot PicksIran warDelimitation Bill DefeatPurple cap winnerOrange cap winnerIPL Points TablePublic holidays April 2026Bank Holidays AprilTop TrendingIPL Orange Cap 2026Kanpur MurderRoman ReignsWorld Largest EconomySue BirdIce SpicePahalgam Pony Wallah StoryWomen Quota BillE Coli Smuggling CaseErika Kirk Event

NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation on Sunday arrested a senior official of DGCA and a representative of a private company in a bribery case of Rs 2.5 lakhs.According to an official statement, the official was the deputy director general at the airworthiness directorate in directorate general of civil aviation headquarters in New Delhi.”The CBI registered the instant case on 18.04.2026 against an official of Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) along with representative of a private company based in New Delhi on allegation that the accused public servant of DGCA demanded undue advantage from the private persons in lieu of issuing approvals and permissions of applications pending with DGCA,” the probing agency saidLater, the central agency also conducted searches at the premises linked to the accused and other private persons at four locations.”Consequently, searches were conducted by CBI at premises of the accused public servant and other private persons at 04 locations in Delhi resulting in seizure of cash worth Rs 37 lakhs, gold and silver coins and multiple digital devices,” the statement reads.According to the statement, the searches resulted in seizure of cash worth Rs 37 Lakhs, gold and silver coins and multiple digital devices. End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosManipur Erupts In Anger As No Arrests Made After 5 Killings, Protests Turn Violent‘Ripple Impact On India…’: Misri After Indian Tankers Hit In HormuzUS Nationals Detained At Srinagar Airport Over Banned Satellite DeviceNo Fuel Shortage: Govt Assures 100% Domestic Gas Supply As India’s LPG Demand Falls 13% In MarchPM Modi Takes ‘Jhalmuri’ Break, Interacts With Locals In West Bengal’s Jhargram Amid Poll CampaignIndia Warns Iran Of Consequences After Attack On Two Tankers In Strait Of HormuzIndia Expands Export Relief After Hormuz Tensions Adds Egypt & Jordan To Shield Trade RoutesCongress Holds Protest After PM Modi’s Address To The Nation On Women’s Reservation Bill SetbackIndia’s Naval Push In Indo-Pacific: IOS Sagar Departs Phuket After Successful Thailand Port CallManipur Streets Erupt As Security Forces Fire Tear Gas On Protesters | Watch123PhotostoriesBest soil mix tips for healthy plant growthHow to get rid of rats naturally without killing them: Safe home and garden solutions5 style lessons from Amitabh Bachchan’s iconic wardrobeWhy you forget names instantly: It’s not your memory, it’s your attention, and here’s how to fix it5 Horror movies based on real-life events: ‘The Conjuring’, ‘The Exorcist,’ and moreTop 5 sneaker releases of 2026 you shouldn’t missWhy it’s so hard to end long-term relationships as per science, therapist revealsBeautiful Indo-Arabic and Persian baby names quietly used in Indian familiesHe never drank alcohol, yet was diagnosed with severe fatty liver: What this says about modern diets and silent lifestyle risksHow to stop rice flour roti from cracking: 5 proven home tips to make soft and puffed roti123Hot PicksIran warDelimitation Bill DefeatPurple cap winnerOrange cap winnerIPL Points TablePublic holidays April 2026Bank Holidays AprilTop TrendingIPL Orange Cap 2026Kanpur MurderRoman ReignsWorld Largest EconomySue BirdIce SpicePahalgam Pony Wallah StoryWomen Quota BillE Coli Smuggling CaseErika Kirk Event

Vamsikrishna 0
NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress on Monday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over jhalmuri break in West Bengal’s Jhargram and claimed that his decision to extend his stay caused Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren to return to Ranchi without completing his scheduled campaign for Mamata Banerjee.In a social media post on X, TMC termed the Prime Minister’s candid break as “photo ops” and accused him of humiliating an Adivasi leader.“Narendra Modi’s Adivasi-birodhi mindset has been exposed for all to see. Because the ‘Pradhan Sevak’ decided to extend his stay in Jhargram to eat jhalmuri, Jharkhand Chief Minister Shri Hemant Soren and his wife and MLA Smt. Kalpana Soren were denied permission to fly their chopper into Jhargram while Modi was present,” the party said.“Two democratically elected leaders. Grounded. Kept waiting for hours. And ultimately forced to return to Ranchi without completing their scheduled programme, all because a Prime Minister’s extended snack break and photo ops took precedence over their democratic rights and constitutional standing. This is the respect Modi has for Adivasi leaders. This is the regard he has for elected representatives who do not bend the knee before him. He came to Jhargram to court the Adivasi vote. He left having humiliated the very people he claimed to stand with. Bengal saw it. And Bengal will remember it on 4th May,” it added.This comes as PM Modi on Sunday took a jhalmuri break amid the hustle, bustle and political heat of West Bengal, where the BJP, led by him, is mounting a strong challenge to Mamata Banerjee’s 15-year incumbency.Also Read: ‘Do you eat onions?’ PM Modi takes ‘jhalmuri break’ during Bengal poll campaign – watchAfter concluding his address in Jhargram, PM Modi walked up to a jhalmuri stall and said, “Bhai, hume apna jhalmuri khilao.”As the vendor prepared the snack, the Prime Minister engaged him in a brief chat, asking, “Kitne ka hota hai jhalmuri?” He then reached into the pocket of his Nehru jacket to pay.Meanwhile, the vendor asked, “Aap pyaaz khaate hain?” PM replied, “Haan, pyaaz khaate hain. Dimag nahi khaate bas.”PM Modi held multiple rallies across Bengal on Sunday, addressing gatherings in Bankura, Purulia, Jhargram and Medinipur, further intensifying the already heated contest between the TMC and the BJP.In Jhargram, the Prime Minister spoke about the larger national controversy that had been dominating political discourse all week, the collapse of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill 2026, which sought to increase Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 850 and operationalise the women’s reservation law.PM Modi accused the ruling TMC of being anti-tribal and anti-women and of turning a blind eye to local grievances, including illegal land occupations.PM Modi said the women of Bengal have been deprived of their rights, security and economic opportunities under the TMC regime, asserting that women’s empowerment remains a key priority for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).The PM said, “You gave 15 years to the ruthless TMC government. In these 15 years, what did the ruthless TMC sarkar give you? What did the Adivasi (tribal) areas get? Na padai, na kamai, na dawai, na sichai (no education, no earnings, no medicine, and no irrigation)… If you have to build even a small house, you have to rely on the TMC syndicate. Be it an MP or MLA of the TMC, they don’t care about your problems. These people are just interested in filling up their tijoris (coffers). Here, the TMC has encroached upon hundreds of acres of tribal land.”Elections to the 294-member West Bengal Assembly will be held in two phases — on April 23 and April 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.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 MediaVideosManipur Erupts In Anger As No Arrests Made After 5 Killings, Protests Turn Violent‘Ripple Impact On India…’: Misri After Indian Tankers Hit In HormuzUS Nationals Detained At Srinagar Airport Over Banned Satellite DeviceNo Fuel Shortage: Govt Assures 100% Domestic Gas Supply As India’s LPG Demand Falls 13% In MarchPM Modi Takes ‘Jhalmuri’ Break, Interacts With Locals In West Bengal’s Jhargram Amid Poll CampaignIndia Warns Iran Of Consequences After Attack On Two Tankers In Strait Of HormuzIndia Expands Export Relief After Hormuz Tensions Adds Egypt & Jordan To Shield Trade RoutesCongress Holds Protest After PM Modi’s Address To The Nation On Women’s Reservation Bill SetbackIndia’s Naval Push In Indo-Pacific: IOS Sagar Departs Phuket After Successful Thailand Port CallManipur Streets Erupt As Security Forces Fire Tear Gas On Protesters | Watch123PhotostoriesBest soil mix tips for healthy plant growthHow to get rid of rats naturally without killing them: Safe home and garden solutions5 style lessons from Amitabh Bachchan’s iconic wardrobeWhy you forget names instantly: It’s not your memory, it’s your attention, and here’s how to fix it5 Horror movies based on real-life events: ‘The Conjuring’, ‘The Exorcist,’ and moreTop 5 sneaker releases of 2026 you shouldn’t missBeautiful Indo-Arabic and Persian baby names quietly used in Indian familiesHe never drank alcohol, yet was diagnosed with severe fatty liver: What this says about modern diets and silent lifestyle risksHow to stop rice flour roti from cracking: 5 proven home tips to make soft and puffed rotiAs Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh announce second pregnancy, a look at Bollywood’s cutest pregnancy announcements123Hot PicksIran warDelimitation Bill DefeatPurple cap winnerOrange cap winnerIPL Points TablePublic holidays April 2026Bank Holidays AprilTop TrendingIPL Orange Cap 2026Mike VrabelRoman ReignsWorld Largest EconomySue BirdIce SpicePahalgam Pony Wallah StoryWomen Quota BillE Coli Smuggling CaseErika Kirk Event

NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress on Monday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over jhalmuri break in West Bengal’s Jhargram and claimed that his decision to extend his stay caused Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren to return to Ranchi without completing his scheduled campaign for Mamata Banerjee.In a social media post on X, TMC termed the Prime Minister’s candid break as “photo ops” and accused him of humiliating an Adivasi leader.“Narendra Modi’s Adivasi-birodhi mindset has been exposed for all to see. Because the ‘Pradhan Sevak’ decided to extend his stay in Jhargram to eat jhalmuri, Jharkhand Chief Minister Shri Hemant Soren and his wife and MLA Smt. Kalpana Soren were denied permission to fly their chopper into Jhargram while Modi was present,” the party said.“Two democratically elected leaders. Grounded. Kept waiting for hours. And ultimately forced to return to Ranchi without completing their scheduled programme, all because a Prime Minister’s extended snack break and photo ops took precedence over their democratic rights and constitutional standing. This is the respect Modi has for Adivasi leaders. This is the regard he has for elected representatives who do not bend the knee before him. He came to Jhargram to court the Adivasi vote. He left having humiliated the very people he claimed to stand with. Bengal saw it. And Bengal will remember it on 4th May,” it added.This comes as PM Modi on Sunday took a jhalmuri break amid the hustle, bustle and political heat of West Bengal, where the BJP, led by him, is mounting a strong challenge to Mamata Banerjee’s 15-year incumbency.Also Read: ‘Do you eat onions?’ PM Modi takes ‘jhalmuri break’ during Bengal poll campaign – watchAfter concluding his address in Jhargram, PM Modi walked up to a jhalmuri stall and said, “Bhai, hume apna jhalmuri khilao.”As the vendor prepared the snack, the Prime Minister engaged him in a brief chat, asking, “Kitne ka hota hai jhalmuri?” He then reached into the pocket of his Nehru jacket to pay.Meanwhile, the vendor asked, “Aap pyaaz khaate hain?” PM replied, “Haan, pyaaz khaate hain. Dimag nahi khaate bas.”PM Modi held multiple rallies across Bengal on Sunday, addressing gatherings in Bankura, Purulia, Jhargram and Medinipur, further intensifying the already heated contest between the TMC and the BJP.In Jhargram, the Prime Minister spoke about the larger national controversy that had been dominating political discourse all week, the collapse of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill 2026, which sought to increase Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 850 and operationalise the women’s reservation law.PM Modi accused the ruling TMC of being anti-tribal and anti-women and of turning a blind eye to local grievances, including illegal land occupations.PM Modi said the women of Bengal have been deprived of their rights, security and economic opportunities under the TMC regime, asserting that women’s empowerment remains a key priority for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).The PM said, “You gave 15 years to the ruthless TMC government. In these 15 years, what did the ruthless TMC sarkar give you? What did the Adivasi (tribal) areas get? Na padai, na kamai, na dawai, na sichai (no education, no earnings, no medicine, and no irrigation)… If you have to build even a small house, you have to rely on the TMC syndicate. Be it an MP or MLA of the TMC, they don’t care about your problems. These people are just interested in filling up their tijoris (coffers). Here, the TMC has encroached upon hundreds of acres of tribal land.”Elections to the 294-member West Bengal Assembly will be held in two phases — on April 23 and April 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.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 MediaVideosManipur Erupts In Anger As No Arrests Made After 5 Killings, Protests Turn Violent‘Ripple Impact On India…’: Misri After Indian Tankers Hit In HormuzUS Nationals Detained At Srinagar Airport Over Banned Satellite DeviceNo Fuel Shortage: Govt Assures 100% Domestic Gas Supply As India’s LPG Demand Falls 13% In MarchPM Modi Takes ‘Jhalmuri’ Break, Interacts With Locals In West Bengal’s Jhargram Amid Poll CampaignIndia Warns Iran Of Consequences After Attack On Two Tankers In Strait Of HormuzIndia Expands Export Relief After Hormuz Tensions Adds Egypt & Jordan To Shield Trade RoutesCongress Holds Protest After PM Modi’s Address To The Nation On Women’s Reservation Bill SetbackIndia’s Naval Push In Indo-Pacific: IOS Sagar Departs Phuket After Successful Thailand Port CallManipur Streets Erupt As Security Forces Fire Tear Gas On Protesters | Watch123PhotostoriesBest soil mix tips for healthy plant growthHow to get rid of rats naturally without killing them: Safe home and garden solutions5 style lessons from Amitabh Bachchan’s iconic wardrobeWhy you forget names instantly: It’s not your memory, it’s your attention, and here’s how to fix it5 Horror movies based on real-life events: ‘The Conjuring’, ‘The Exorcist,’ and moreTop 5 sneaker releases of 2026 you shouldn’t missBeautiful Indo-Arabic and Persian baby names quietly used in Indian familiesHe never drank alcohol, yet was diagnosed with severe fatty liver: What this says about modern diets and silent lifestyle risksHow to stop rice flour roti from cracking: 5 proven home tips to make soft and puffed rotiAs Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh announce second pregnancy, a look at Bollywood’s cutest pregnancy announcements123Hot PicksIran warDelimitation Bill DefeatPurple cap winnerOrange cap winnerIPL Points TablePublic holidays April 2026Bank Holidays AprilTop TrendingIPL Orange Cap 2026Mike VrabelRoman ReignsWorld Largest EconomySue BirdIce SpicePahalgam Pony Wallah StoryWomen Quota BillE Coli Smuggling CaseErika Kirk Event

Vamsikrishna 0
. Defending her bastion of West Bengal for the fourth time to extend her term by another five years to 20 years was never meant to be easy for Mamata Banerjee. She was up against a formidable challenger, the Bharatiya Janata Party, its redoubtable election-winning organisation and bottomless resources and its star campaigner, Narendra Modi.For five years from 2021, Banerjee had been preparing for the fight to unseat her. Incidents that brought people spontaneously out into the streets like the rape and murder of a junior doctor working at the staterun R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, the rape of a student inside the college premises in Kasba, in south Kolkata, metres from the police station and a continuous flow of incidents of violence against women in rural areas had resulted in a spike in the prevailing discontent. She may have hit the streets to demand justice for the R G Kar victim, but that did not cut ice with voters nursing anti-incumbency sentiments. .In the regular course, Trinamool Congress should have been in the dock over its performance as a govt. Mamata Banerjee has been chief minister for 15 years. Anti-incumbency should have been the principal issue.Things changed. Instead of being a challenger, BJP metamorphosed into an oppressor, after the countrywide crackdown on ghuspaithiyas — illegal Bengali-speaking immigrants, presumed to be infiltrators from Bangladesh. The arrests, even deportation of some to Bangladesh, where they were stranded and harassed, angered Bengalis, regardless of whether they were Banerjee loyalists, or veering to the BJP, because it was the only alternative against the dominance and abuse of power of the Trinamool Congress in everyday lived experiences.The stunning declaration that Bengali was not a language, and Delhi Police’s search for a translator of the “Bangladeshi language” was perceived as an assault on the cultural identity, pride and history of Bengalis. BJP, in Bengali perception, became the party involved in the assault, attacking the idea of Bengalihood: eating fish and meat on days that were considered significant to the codes of Sanatan Dharma.The 2026 Bengal state assembly election was not meant to be a regular election. It was designed to be a once-and-for-all confrontation, an exercise in purification of the inflated numbers of ineligible voters, identifiable as Bengali-speaking — but mostly Muslim — infiltrators from Bangladesh, who had been given sanctuary by the Trinamool Congress after 2011, when it was first voted in. The Election Commission issued warnings, even as it kicked off the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar in June 2025, that Bengal would be next.What was deep-seated resentment among a very large and mixed section of voters over CM Banerjee’s Muslim “appeasement” politics seems to have been buried by the SIR-adjudication-deletion process. Even her temple construction zeal — the Jagannath Dham in Digha in BJP leader of the opposition Suvendu Adhikari’s backyard, or her laying the foundation for a Mahakaal temple in Siliguri, seems to have faded from the public sphere. SIR has become a personal issue for an overwhelming number of voters, those adversely impacted and others who are upset over the process of “othering” neighbours, friends, colleagues and acquaintances, because one in 10 people has been deleted or put under adjudication by the EC.Instead, the political discourse acquired a new classification of voters labelled “under adjudication”, and that has got so complicated that the Supreme Court took the extraordinary step of invoking Article 142 of the Constitution, which grants it the power to “pass such decree or make such order as is necessary for doing complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it”, because 34.45 lakh people were being denied the fundamental right to exercise their choice through casting their vote in the Bengal election, following SIR. The EC’s decision to freeze electoral rolls without carrying out hearings has been overturned — which Banerjee has promptly appropriated as ‘her victory’ on behalf of the people.BJP’s blind defence of the SIR exercise as a necessary intensive and customised process to verify the citizenship status of all voters, ghuspaithiyas and eligible citizens, left its core voters stranded in several districts, adding up to over 70 constituencies, including the Matuas, a Schedule Caste community that fled in large numbers after 1971. The purpose of SIR, as Union home minister Amit Shah declared in Parliament, was “Detect, delete, deport”.SIR seems to have overtaken anti-incumbency as the principal issue in this election. The reason is simple: the effect of SIR is that 91 lakh voters have been either deleted or put under adjudication, that is just under 12%; and the number of voters has declined to 6.44 crore from 7.08 crore. The election has turned into a confrontation between Trinamool Congress and the EC on the one hand, and Trinamool Congress and BJP on the other. As the only party that has consistently supported the SIR process and the EC’s implementation, even after the Supreme Court invoked Article 142 for the purpose of “doing complete justice”, in the perception of large numbers of voters, the EC and the BJP are interchangeable entities.Discontent that can be generalised as anti-incumbency exists. There is also widespread satisfaction, especially among women, because Banerjee is perceived as one who caters to their needs, through direct cash transfer programmes like the Lakshmir Bhandar and Swasthya Sathi cashless healthcare services. This loyalty is not transactional; it cannot be bought off by doubling the cash transfer as promised by BJP under the renamed Lakshmir Bhandar, the Matri Shakti Bharosa Scheme. The disproportionate deletions of 57 lakh women from the electoral roll cuts into Banerjee’s most loyal vote bank, since over 50% of women have voted for her in preceding elections. It may trigger the swing away from her to BJP, as the alternative.The difference between 2021 and now is that Trinamool is no longer haemorrhaging as it was then; the spate of defections to BJP in 2021 has ended. There has been a reverse flow from BJP to the Trinamool over the past five years, the most recent and significant being Adhikari’s close aide Pabitra Kar, who is also a Trinamool candidate from Nandigram.Instead of being a challenger offering a better alternative, BJP — with its double-engine model and its campaign on “zero tolerance for ghuspaithiyas ” — has become the party that aims to serve Bengal by prioritising the rounding up of infiltrators from Bangladesh, the majority of whom are Muslims in its estimate, and deporting them. As the campaign has progressed, the home minister has made it clear that once the election is over, every ineligible voter, deleted by the tribunal set up on the orders of Supreme Court, will be deported.When the context for a state election is about legacy issues carried over after momentous changes in India’s neighbourhood and not a straightforward contest between competing political parties about better governance, politics becomes a competition in striking the most resonant sentimental chords. The question is, has BJP been able to frame Trinamool as the last and worst perpetrator of legitimising, on a large scale, illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, or has Trinamool nailed BJP for being “anti-Bengali”? The new variable in the electoral fight is the home-grown Indian Secular Front, which won one seat in 2021. The party is now contesting in over 30 seats and expects to shave off Muslim and Dalit votes, which it can do only at Trinamool’s cost.The principal rivals, Trinamool Congress and BJP, have positioned themselves as champions of Bengali nationhood. In BJP’s version, the Bengali nation needs to be cleansed of Muslims from Bangladesh, who have been illegally granted sanctuary and pose a threat to the Hindu majority. In Trinamool’s version, the idea of Bengal/India, shaped by generations of Bengali nationalist leaders, who contributed to the narrative and politics of the freedom struggle, needs to be defended against distortions and mutations that destroy its essence as secular, inclusive and custodian of that imagined space where “streams of humans” end up mingling in the ocean of great humanity.The Trinamool Congress slogans in the 2026 election are assertions of how “Bangla” is the victim and how it shall triumph: “ Jataoi koro hamla, abar jitbe Bangla (No matter how many attacks, Bengal will win)” is the war cry. By positioning herself as the champion of Bangla’s identity, which includes its cultural pride in being plural and inclusive, Banerjee hopes to make sentiment work in her favour, burying the entirely valid discontent that has grown against her local leadership at the grassroots in urban and rural areas.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosUS Nationals Detained At Srinagar Airport Over Banned Satellite DeviceNo Fuel Shortage: Govt Assures 100% Domestic Gas Supply As India’s LPG Demand Falls 13% In MarchPM Modi Takes ‘Jhalmuri’ Break, Interacts With Locals In West Bengal’s Jhargram Amid Poll CampaignIndia Warns Iran Of Consequences After Attack On Two Tankers In Strait Of HormuzIndia Expands Export Relief After Hormuz Tensions Adds Egypt & Jordan To Shield Trade RoutesCongress Holds Protest After PM Modi’s Address To The Nation On Women’s Reservation Bill SetbackIndia’s Naval Push In Indo-Pacific: IOS Sagar Departs Phuket After Successful Thailand Port CallManipur Streets Erupt As Security Forces Fire Tear Gas On Protesters | WatchManipur Horror: Retired Soldier Among Two Shot Dead In Ukhrul Highway AttackWhat We Know About Indian Ships Hit In Hormuz Strait By Iran Gunboats And Unknown Projectile123PhotostoriesHow to get rid of rats naturally without killing them: Safe home and garden solutions5 style lessons from Amitabh Bachchan’s iconic wardrobeWhy you forget names instantly: It’s not your memory, it’s your attention, and here’s how to fix it5 Horror movies based on real-life events: ‘The Conjuring’, ‘The Exorcist,’ and moreTop 5 sneaker releases of 2026 you shouldn’t missWhy it’s so hard to end long-term relationships as per science, therapist revealsBeautiful Indo-Arabic and Persian baby names quietly used in Indian familiesHe never drank alcohol, yet was diagnosed with severe fatty liver: What this says about modern diets and silent lifestyle risksHow to stop rice flour roti from cracking: 5 proven home tips to make soft and puffed rotiAs Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh announce second pregnancy, a look at Bollywood’s cutest pregnancy announcements123Hot PicksIran warDelimitation Bill DefeatPurple cap winnerOrange cap winnerIPL Points TablePublic holidays April 2026Bank Holidays AprilTop TrendingIPL Orange Cap 2026VijayPM Modi LiveWorld Largest EconomySue BirdIce SpicePahalgam Pony Wallah StoryWomen Quota BillE Coli Smuggling CaseErika Kirk Event

. Defending her bastion of West Bengal for the fourth time to extend her term by another five years to 20 years was never meant to be easy for Mamata Banerjee. She was up against a formidable challenger, the Bharatiya Janata Party, its redoubtable election-winning organisation and bottomless resources and its star campaigner, Narendra Modi.For five years from 2021, Banerjee had been preparing for the fight to unseat her. Incidents that brought people spontaneously out into the streets like the rape and murder of a junior doctor working at the staterun R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, the rape of a student inside the college premises in Kasba, in south Kolkata, metres from the police station and a continuous flow of incidents of violence against women in rural areas had resulted in a spike in the prevailing discontent. She may have hit the streets to demand justice for the R G Kar victim, but that did not cut ice with voters nursing anti-incumbency sentiments. .In the regular course, Trinamool Congress should have been in the dock over its performance as a govt. Mamata Banerjee has been chief minister for 15 years. Anti-incumbency should have been the principal issue.Things changed. Instead of being a challenger, BJP metamorphosed into an oppressor, after the countrywide crackdown on ghuspaithiyas — illegal Bengali-speaking immigrants, presumed to be infiltrators from Bangladesh. The arrests, even deportation of some to Bangladesh, where they were stranded and harassed, angered Bengalis, regardless of whether they were Banerjee loyalists, or veering to the BJP, because it was the only alternative against the dominance and abuse of power of the Trinamool Congress in everyday lived experiences.The stunning declaration that Bengali was not a language, and Delhi Police’s search for a translator of the “Bangladeshi language” was perceived as an assault on the cultural identity, pride and history of Bengalis. BJP, in Bengali perception, became the party involved in the assault, attacking the idea of Bengalihood: eating fish and meat on days that were considered significant to the codes of Sanatan Dharma.The 2026 Bengal state assembly election was not meant to be a regular election. It was designed to be a once-and-for-all confrontation, an exercise in purification of the inflated numbers of ineligible voters, identifiable as Bengali-speaking — but mostly Muslim — infiltrators from Bangladesh, who had been given sanctuary by the Trinamool Congress after 2011, when it was first voted in. The Election Commission issued warnings, even as it kicked off the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar in June 2025, that Bengal would be next.What was deep-seated resentment among a very large and mixed section of voters over CM Banerjee’s Muslim “appeasement” politics seems to have been buried by the SIR-adjudication-deletion process. Even her temple construction zeal — the Jagannath Dham in Digha in BJP leader of the opposition Suvendu Adhikari’s backyard, or her laying the foundation for a Mahakaal temple in Siliguri, seems to have faded from the public sphere. SIR has become a personal issue for an overwhelming number of voters, those adversely impacted and others who are upset over the process of “othering” neighbours, friends, colleagues and acquaintances, because one in 10 people has been deleted or put under adjudication by the EC.Instead, the political discourse acquired a new classification of voters labelled “under adjudication”, and that has got so complicated that the Supreme Court took the extraordinary step of invoking Article 142 of the Constitution, which grants it the power to “pass such decree or make such order as is necessary for doing complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it”, because 34.45 lakh people were being denied the fundamental right to exercise their choice through casting their vote in the Bengal election, following SIR. The EC’s decision to freeze electoral rolls without carrying out hearings has been overturned — which Banerjee has promptly appropriated as ‘her victory’ on behalf of the people.BJP’s blind defence of the SIR exercise as a necessary intensive and customised process to verify the citizenship status of all voters, ghuspaithiyas and eligible citizens, left its core voters stranded in several districts, adding up to over 70 constituencies, including the Matuas, a Schedule Caste community that fled in large numbers after 1971. The purpose of SIR, as Union home minister Amit Shah declared in Parliament, was “Detect, delete, deport”.SIR seems to have overtaken anti-incumbency as the principal issue in this election. The reason is simple: the effect of SIR is that 91 lakh voters have been either deleted or put under adjudication, that is just under 12%; and the number of voters has declined to 6.44 crore from 7.08 crore. The election has turned into a confrontation between Trinamool Congress and the EC on the one hand, and Trinamool Congress and BJP on the other. As the only party that has consistently supported the SIR process and the EC’s implementation, even after the Supreme Court invoked Article 142 for the purpose of “doing complete justice”, in the perception of large numbers of voters, the EC and the BJP are interchangeable entities.Discontent that can be generalised as anti-incumbency exists. There is also widespread satisfaction, especially among women, because Banerjee is perceived as one who caters to their needs, through direct cash transfer programmes like the Lakshmir Bhandar and Swasthya Sathi cashless healthcare services. This loyalty is not transactional; it cannot be bought off by doubling the cash transfer as promised by BJP under the renamed Lakshmir Bhandar, the Matri Shakti Bharosa Scheme. The disproportionate deletions of 57 lakh women from the electoral roll cuts into Banerjee’s most loyal vote bank, since over 50% of women have voted for her in preceding elections. It may trigger the swing away from her to BJP, as the alternative.The difference between 2021 and now is that Trinamool is no longer haemorrhaging as it was then; the spate of defections to BJP in 2021 has ended. There has been a reverse flow from BJP to the Trinamool over the past five years, the most recent and significant being Adhikari’s close aide Pabitra Kar, who is also a Trinamool candidate from Nandigram.Instead of being a challenger offering a better alternative, BJP — with its double-engine model and its campaign on “zero tolerance for ghuspaithiyas ” — has become the party that aims to serve Bengal by prioritising the rounding up of infiltrators from Bangladesh, the majority of whom are Muslims in its estimate, and deporting them. As the campaign has progressed, the home minister has made it clear that once the election is over, every ineligible voter, deleted by the tribunal set up on the orders of Supreme Court, will be deported.When the context for a state election is about legacy issues carried over after momentous changes in India’s neighbourhood and not a straightforward contest between competing political parties about better governance, politics becomes a competition in striking the most resonant sentimental chords. The question is, has BJP been able to frame Trinamool as the last and worst perpetrator of legitimising, on a large scale, illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, or has Trinamool nailed BJP for being “anti-Bengali”? The new variable in the electoral fight is the home-grown Indian Secular Front, which won one seat in 2021. The party is now contesting in over 30 seats and expects to shave off Muslim and Dalit votes, which it can do only at Trinamool’s cost.The principal rivals, Trinamool Congress and BJP, have positioned themselves as champions of Bengali nationhood. In BJP’s version, the Bengali nation needs to be cleansed of Muslims from Bangladesh, who have been illegally granted sanctuary and pose a threat to the Hindu majority. In Trinamool’s version, the idea of Bengal/India, shaped by generations of Bengali nationalist leaders, who contributed to the narrative and politics of the freedom struggle, needs to be defended against distortions and mutations that destroy its essence as secular, inclusive and custodian of that imagined space where “streams of humans” end up mingling in the ocean of great humanity.The Trinamool Congress slogans in the 2026 election are assertions of how “Bangla” is the victim and how it shall triumph: “ Jataoi koro hamla, abar jitbe Bangla (No matter how many attacks, Bengal will win)” is the war cry. By positioning herself as the champion of Bangla’s identity, which includes its cultural pride in being plural and inclusive, Banerjee hopes to make sentiment work in her favour, burying the entirely valid discontent that has grown against her local leadership at the grassroots in urban and rural areas.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosUS Nationals Detained At Srinagar Airport Over Banned Satellite DeviceNo Fuel Shortage: Govt Assures 100% Domestic Gas Supply As India’s LPG Demand Falls 13% In MarchPM Modi Takes ‘Jhalmuri’ Break, Interacts With Locals In West Bengal’s Jhargram Amid Poll CampaignIndia Warns Iran Of Consequences After Attack On Two Tankers In Strait Of HormuzIndia Expands Export Relief After Hormuz Tensions Adds Egypt & Jordan To Shield Trade RoutesCongress Holds Protest After PM Modi’s Address To The Nation On Women’s Reservation Bill SetbackIndia’s Naval Push In Indo-Pacific: IOS Sagar Departs Phuket After Successful Thailand Port CallManipur Streets Erupt As Security Forces Fire Tear Gas On Protesters | WatchManipur Horror: Retired Soldier Among Two Shot Dead In Ukhrul Highway AttackWhat We Know About Indian Ships Hit In Hormuz Strait By Iran Gunboats And Unknown Projectile123PhotostoriesHow to get rid of rats naturally without killing them: Safe home and garden solutions5 style lessons from Amitabh Bachchan’s iconic wardrobeWhy you forget names instantly: It’s not your memory, it’s your attention, and here’s how to fix it5 Horror movies based on real-life events: ‘The Conjuring’, ‘The Exorcist,’ and moreTop 5 sneaker releases of 2026 you shouldn’t missWhy it’s so hard to end long-term relationships as per science, therapist revealsBeautiful Indo-Arabic and Persian baby names quietly used in Indian familiesHe never drank alcohol, yet was diagnosed with severe fatty liver: What this says about modern diets and silent lifestyle risksHow to stop rice flour roti from cracking: 5 proven home tips to make soft and puffed rotiAs Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh announce second pregnancy, a look at Bollywood’s cutest pregnancy announcements123Hot PicksIran warDelimitation Bill DefeatPurple cap winnerOrange cap winnerIPL Points TablePublic holidays April 2026Bank Holidays AprilTop TrendingIPL Orange Cap 2026VijayPM Modi LiveWorld Largest EconomySue BirdIce SpicePahalgam Pony Wallah StoryWomen Quota BillE Coli Smuggling CaseErika Kirk Event

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