Leaving all recent acrimonies behind, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the centenary session of the Indian Science Congress at the Salt Lake Stadium most warmly and cordially. She not only shared stage with Dr Singh but also exchanged pleasantries with him and used the occasion to indirectly seek a bailout package from the Centre. “Bengal is colourful, charming and smiling. Give some more to Bengal...Please look at Bengal. If Bengal is developed, India is developed,” Ms Banerjee said in an oblique reference to Dr Singh while speaking at the programme.
Her call for Central funds was greeted with good response from the audience. To justify her demand, the chief minister even cited the state’s rich heritage by mentioning contributions of Bengali icons. “Kolkata is the brain of science which means creation, mission, vision, construction and dedication. The centenary session must see the grassroots of the problem...the down-trodden people. Bengal is the cultural capital of the country. Now I realise, it is also the nation’s science capital,” the chief minister added. Not only her language but also her body language exuded positive vibes. The Trinamul Congress chief was seen taking initiatives personally to speak to the Prime Minister.
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Nia is given dhan singh custody
Age Correspondent
Mumbai, Jan. 3
The Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court on Thursday granted the National Investigating Agency (NIA) custody of accused Dhan Singh, in connection with his alleged role in the 2006 Malegaon blast case.
Singh, who is allegedly a prime suspect in the Samjhauta Express blast, was arrested by the NIA on December 17 from the Satna district of Madhya Pradesh for his alleged involvement in the 2008 Malegaon blast.
After completion of the interrogations, the court granted the NIA his custody to interrogate him in the 2006 Malegaon blast case. In another development, the court has extended the police custody of Rajendra Chaudhry, an accused in the 2006 Malegaon blast case.
The NIA also submitted a report before the court, which mentions the role of the two arrested accused in the blast case. Accused Chaudhry informed the court that the NIA had forced him to confess that he was an active member in planting the explosives in 2006.