NEWS

Alleging that the BJP may "hatch a conspiracy to assassinate West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee", if it fails to win elections, senior TMC leader Subrata Mukherjee said the saffron camp is hiring people to commit crimes, and putting the blame on others.

Mukherjee, who is also the state panchayat minister, made the startling claim on Saturday, and added that if the BJP tries to harm Banerjee who is the "mother of crores of citizens, we will shed our blood to stop that from happening".

"They (BJP) are plotting to have Mamata Banerjee removed. They can even hire people to assassinate her secretly, if they fail to defeat her electorally. People are being brought from outside to create unrest in Bengal. We will foil their plans," he said during a road inauguration programme here in South 24 Parganas.

The Assam cabinet on Sunday approved a proposal to close down all government-run madrassas and Sanskrit tols (schools), and a bill in this regard will be tabled during the upcoming winter session of the state Assembly, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said.

"Existing laws related to madrassas and Sanskrit tols will be repealed. A bill will be introduced in the next session of the Assembly," Patowary, who is also the spokesperson of the Assam government, said.

The winter session of the Assam Legislative Assembly will begin from December 28. There are 610 state-run madrassas across Assam and the government has been spending Rs 260 crore annually for these institutes, Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said earlier.

BJP national president JP Nadda has tested positive for Covid-19. Announcing the diagnosis on Twitter, Nadda said he is in home isolation as per coronavirus protocol and is in good health.

The BJP chief also appealed to people who came in contact with him recently to get tested for Covid-19.

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said that he will observe a one-day fast on December 14 in support of the farmers protesting against the three farm laws enacted by the Centre earlier this year.

Addressing a virtual press conference, the Delhi Chief Minister also urged the workers of AAP and his supporters to observe a fast in support of the farmers. Noting that AAP fully supports farmers' agitation, Kejriwal urged the Centre to repeal the farm laws immediately and bring a Bill to guarantee minimum support price (MSP).

"Some central government ministers and BJP leaders are saying that farmers are anti-national. Many ex-servicemen, national and international players, singers, celebrities, doctors, traders are supporting the farmers. Want to ask BJP are all these people also anti-nationals?," Kejriwal was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.