At a hearing centre, elderly residents, families and a retired Army jawan queue for SIR scrutiny, facing missing records, paperwork hurdles and fear of exclusion while officials verify electoral histories
West Bengal’s SIR exercise flags lakhs of voters, including Amartya Sen, raising questions of legality and fairness. Experts Jawhar Sircar and Yogendra Yadav warn genuine voters may face harassment
A Kolkata maid with Aadhaar, PAN and voter ID now faces a citizenship hearing as Bengal’s voter revision puts 1.67 crore electors under scrutiny amid multiple phases and mounting uncertainty.
Migrant workers from Murshidabad were allegedly attacked in Odisha after being accused of being “Bangladeshis” despite showing valid documents. One worker, Jewel Rana, succumbed to his injuries, while two others remain hospitalised. The lynching has renewed concerns over the safety of Bengali-speaking Muslim migrant workers in BJP-ruled states.
A mob of Hindutva extremists brutally assaulted Rezaul Islam Mondal, a Bengal M.Tech student, on a train, branding him ‘Bangladeshi.’ They pulled his beard, tore his cap, and threatened to kill him. Human rights groups and political leaders condemn the attack, calling it a grim reflection of rising Islamophobia.
Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren attended the Bengal Global Business Summit, praising Mamata Banerjee’s leadership and emphasizing Bengal-Jharkhand’s shared history and economic potential. Highlighting collaboration for regional growth, he invited business leaders to explore investment in Jharkhand. His wife, Kalpana Soren, subtly echoed political symbolism in a blue saree.
Bengal lags behind in Unani medical education, with just one college compared to Uttar Pradesh’s 10, Madhya Pradesh’s 4, and Maharashtra’s 5, exposing a glaring disparity in healthcare development. The Calcutta Unani Medical College and Hospital has been fighting for state intervention since 2009, yet successive governments have ignored its pleas, even withdrawing a bill meant to secure its future. As World Unani Day approaches, the institution’s students and faculty continue their struggle, hopeful that the government will finally acknowledge their demands and rescue the only Unani medical college in the state
The High Court's 2024 verdict stripping 77 Muslim-majority communities of OBC status has halted their socio-economic progress in Bengal. Data reveals reservations boosted job and education access for these marginalized groups. Without it, students face admission denials, and job listings exclude OBC categories, threatening years of hard-earned advancements.
The 120-kilometer-long border in Murshidabad is more than a line on the map—it's a daily challenge for residents caught between national security and survival. Farmers struggle with BSF restrictions, smugglers destroy livelihoods, and the lack of infrastructure leaves children walking miles for a barely functional education. Stories of resilience emerge, but the absence of political will compounds the suffering, leaving border villagers as refugees in their own country. Their dream is clear: dignity, safety, and a future where their villages thrive with opportunity.
The epistemic Islamophobia in West Bengal, highlighting its roots in biased media narratives, political rhetoric, and educational distortions. It examines the marginalization of Bengali Muslims through stereotypes, economic disparities, and cultural exclusion while advocating for epistemic pluralism, mutual respect, and accurate representation to combat discrimination and foster inclusivity.