Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], March 8 (ANI): As the poll fever intensified ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections and Trinamool Congress leaders joining the ranks of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday targetted the Central leadership and said that “Prime Minister Narendra Modi will soon rename the country after his name.”
“He got his picture on the vaccine (certificates). It is not a COVID vaccine, it is a Modi vaccine. He has colleges in his name. stadiums in his name. And, now vaccine in his name. It is just a matter of time, he will soon rename India after his name,” Banerjee said while addressing the people of the state after completing her padyatra.
She further alleged that the top leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) give false statements during poll campaigns in West Bengal.
“Amit Shah and PM Narendra Modi are two syndicate ministers who come to Bengal and speak canards and lies. I respect the chair of a Prime Minister but it is surprising to see a Prime Minister speaking lies,” stated Banerjee.
“They (BJP leaders) will come to Bengal only during elections. He is lecturing us on women’s safety. What is the situation of women in BJP-ruled states? What is the situation in Modi’s Gujarat?” she said.
The chief minister expressed greetings on the occasion of International Women’s Day.
“I wish happy International Women’s Day to every woman. This is the land of Matangini Hazra and Mother Teresa. Women are our pride. We celebrate this day as Naari Mukti Divas. We cannot tolerate atrocities on women,” added Banerjee.
On the occasion of International Women’s Day, Mamata Banerjee held a 4.5-km long march that started at College Square and concluded at Dharmatala in Kolkata.
Trinamool Congress and BJP are in loggerheads ahead of the Assembly polls in West Bengal. West Bengal Assembly elections will be held in eight phases starting from March 27 with the final round of voting taking place on April 29. The counting of votes will take place on May 2. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 8 (ANI): Amid speculations about the leadership change in Uttarakhand, Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat met Bharatiya Janata Party chief JP Nadda on Monday.
There are speculations about the leadership change in Uttarakhand as several ministers and around twenty MLAs are against the working style of Rawat, sources said.
However, Rawat declined to speak when asked about the political crisis in Uttarakhand.
According to sources, several MLAs and some ministers complained about the Chief Minister to the party leadership. Later, the BJP central high command sent Raman Singh as party observer for the emergency core group meeting, which was attended by Dushyant Gautam, general secretary in-charge of Uttarakhand BJP.
After the core group meeting of the party, Raman Singh and Dushyant Gautam submitted their report to the party high command. Consequently, Trivendra Singh Rawat was called to Delhi.
Interacting with the mediapersons here, Rawat said, “I congratulate all the women on International women’s day. Our women should empower themselves and should be socially active. We have passed the law in which women can now claim their right in their husband’s property and will be able to apply for the loan based on that in case they want to start their own business.”
He further applauded the service of Anganwadi and AASHA workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Anganwadi and AASHA workers have worked selflessly in COVID-19 pandemic, so my government will provide them with Rs 10,000 each. We will provide Rs 15,000 to mahila samuh and mahila mangal dal (women welfare group). We have also launched a Ghasyari Kalyan Yojana to benefit the kins of women who die for unnatural reasons,” added Rawat.
(ANI)

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 8 (ANI): Tamil Nadu reported 556 new COVID-19 cases, 532 recoveries and three deaths in the last 24 hours.
The total count of cases in the state has risen to 8,55,677 including 4,018 active cases and 8,39,138 recoveries.
The death toll has gone up to 12,521
India has reported a total of 1,12,29,398 cases, including 1,88,747 active cases and 1,08,82,798 recoveries.
With 99,205 active cases, Maharashtra continues to remain the most-affected state followed by Kerala with 41,162 active cases. (ANI)

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], March 8 (ANI): A massive fire broke out in a multi-storey building near strand road in Kolkata on Monday.
The blaze broke out on the third floor of the building.
Eight fire tenders rushed to the spot to douse the blaze.
More details awaited. (ANI)

By Kumar Gaurav
New Delhi [India], March 8 (ANI): BJP has directed its MPs, MLAs, and other public representatives to look after and support the vaccination drive against COVID-19.
On the direction of Bharatiya Janata Party National President J P Nadda, BJP National General Secretary and headquarter in-charge Arun Singh has sent an internal circular to all state units chief, all state general secretaries and all-state in charges with some of the direction to make India’s vaccination drive against Corona a grand success.
BJP has also appointed a national coordinator for this programme. BJP Rajya Sabha MP Dr Anil Jain will coordinate with all the state units of BJP for the vaccination drive.
According to the circular, the biggest COVID-19 vaccination drive is in process. More than two crore people have been vaccinated till now justifying the spirit of Vasudev Kutumbakam. We have exported vaccine to 47 countries for which the entire nation is all praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
BJP president accordingly wants our party karyakartas to undertake the tasks to make COVID-19 vaccination drive a grand success.
The party has asked its leaders and cadres to hold door to door contact campaign for sensitising people for the vaccine.
Party cadets should help people in registration on Cowin portal and Aarogya Setu app with the required document.
The party should also set up helpdesk at public places, various community centres and vaccination centres at mandal level for awareness campaigns and necessary help to public at large.
BJP workers should also arrange transport for elderly and sick people to the vaccination sites and hospitals and drop them back. Arrangements should be done for safe drinking water at the vaccination sites.
Awareness campaign should also be held in society to sensitise the people about vaccination drive through various media and social media and other modes of communication.
Public representative and office bearers should visit various vaccination centres and provide necessary help to the extent possible on the humanitarian ground.
BJP also asked its leaders and cadres to ensure effective planning and monitoring of the campaign and for this some office bearers will be given responsibility at state district and mandal levels.
Party president had asked BJP medical cell of the party to actively participate in this campaign and help people to get vaccinated.
All MPs MLAs and other public representatives to ensure their active role in this vaccination drive. At last BJP has appealed to all its workers to work selflessly and make this vaccination drive great success in a planned way. (ANI)

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 8 (ANI): Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Monday presented the state budget for 2021-22 in the state assembly and said the government has decided to provide zero per cent interest loans to farmers who take crop loans up to a limit of Rs 3 lakh and make timely repayment.
Pawar said the amount of interest on crop loan will be paid by the government on behalf of farmers. The required funds will be provided by the government, he said.
“Keeping in view the objective to free the farmers from interest burden and prevent them from turning defaulters, the government has decided to provide zero per cent interest loans to farmers who take crop loans up to a limit of Rs 3 lakh and make timely repayment,” he said.
Pawar said that the government has also planned to invest Rs 2,000 crore to strengthen the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC).
An outlay of Rs 7,350 crore has been proposed for the Rural Development Department.
Maharashtra assembly budget session started on March 1 and will be last till March 10. The session was curtailed due to a surge in COVID-19 cases. (ANI)