Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], March 16 (ANI): For a high score in the poll field of West Bengal, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief JP Nadda and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath were the three strikers of the BJP on Tuesday.
Throwing a challenge to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from Paschim Medinipur, Singh said, “Khela hobe Didi, jamke khele hobe (Didi, the game is on, there will be great game).”
Urging people to vote for the BJP, he said, “Jore chaap, Trinamool saaf (push harder, Trinamool will vanish).”
“Post-independence, the kind of development that should have been done in West Bengal has not been done. Ruling governments destroyed the state. Be it CPM or TMC, poverty and unemployment are rampant in the state,” said Singh.
On a lighter note, the Union Defence Minister said, “Whenever Sourav Ganguly crossed the crease, it was sure that he would hit a six. Likewise, with your support in Lok Sabha, we have crossed the crease and surely we will hit a six in Assembly polls and form the BJP government here.”
These comments come at a time when speculation is rife over Ganguly joining the BJP ahead of the polls.
Meanwhile, Nadda held a roadshow and a rally in Bishnupur.
Addressing a public meeting at Kotulpur, Nadda said, “Mamata Ji had called Batla House encounter fake. She had said that she will quit politics if it turns out not to be fake. The court has now given death penalty to Ariz Khan. I want to ask Mamata Ji now, when she will quit politics.”
Nadda also accused the TMC of vandalising and stopping one of the yatras scheduled to be conducted by the Bharatiya Janata Party in Kakdwip on Tuesday.
Speaking to ANI, Nadda said, “I had inaugurated the yatra from Kotulpur but the yatra that was scheduled to start from Kakdwip was vandalised by TMC goons. They tried to stop it. The BJP condemns it.”
As part of the BJP’s poll campaign, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath held a public meeting in Purulia on Tuesday.
“There is a change. Before 2014, there was a generation in the country, which used to fear that their secularism will be at risk if they visit a temple. But now, I see Mamata Didi reciting Chandi Path at a temple,” said Adityanath.
Slamming the TMC, he said, “The moment I met families of the deceased BJP party workers, I knew TMC’s hooliganism and anarchy will last for just the next 45 days. After May 2, they will be ousted from power.”
The BJP and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) are at loggerheads in poll-bound West Bengal. The top leadership of the BJP has been holding public meetings and roadshows across the state in recent months.
Elections to the 294-member West Bengal assembly 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 16 (ANI): Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers, D.V. Sadananda Gowda, will on Wednesday, inaugurate the 11th edition of India Chem-2021.
“India Chem is one of the largest composite events of the chemical and petrochemical sector in the Asia-Pacific Region. Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, in association with FICCI, is organising the 11th edition of India Chem- 2021 during March 17-19th in New Delhi,” read a release by the ministry.
During the India Chem-2021, events such as Global CEOs Round Table, Conclave on Global Chemical Industry: Special focus on Specialty Chemicals, Conclave on Global Petrochemical Industry in collaboration with GCC, Conclave on Global Agrochemical Industry, Capital Goods, Plant Machinery, Pumps and Valves and Processes Roundtable will be organised.
On Friday, three bilateral events namely (i) India-Japan Chemical and Petrochemical Forum (ii) India-EU Chemical and Petrochemical Forum and (iii) India-US Chemical and Petrochemical Forum will be organized with the objective to enhance bilateral trade and investment opportunities in the sector. (ANI)
India Chem-2021 with the theme of ‘India: Global Manufacturing Hub for Chemicals and Petrochemicals’ will showcase “tremendous” potential and supportive government policy for sustainable growth in the sector and provide a platform for domestic and international investors and other stakeholders to interact and forge alliances.
This mega event will highlight the investment potential in Indian Chemicals & Petrochemicals Industry especially in Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemical Investment Regions (PCPIRs) to transform India into a global manufacturing hub, stated the release. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 16 (ANI): Two of the longest-serving Artillery systems — the 130mm Self Propelled M-46 Catapult Guns and the 160mm Tampella Mortars — were decommissioned by the Indian Army on Tuesday at Mahajan Field Firing Ranges.
“The ceremony was marked by the customary firing of last salvos. The decommissioning firing was attended by Lieutenant General K Ravi Prasad, Director General Artillery and other senior officers,” read the press release by the ministry of defence.
The 130mm Catapult, with a range of more than 27 km, was a successful merger of two existing weapon systems: Vijayanta tanks and 130mm M-46 guns. This hybrid platform was a response to the need for a mobile artillery gun system to support strike formations on the Western borders, after the 1965 and 1971 wars. The guns were inducted in 1981 and were employed successfully during a number of operations.
The 160mm Tampella mortars, with a range of 9.6 km, were inducted after the 1962 war with China to fulfill the need for a weapon system to clear high crests of the Northern borders. Originally an import from the Israeli Defence Forces, this mortar was successfully deployed on the Line of Control in the Leepa valley and the Hajipir Bowl and played a crucial part in maintaining the sanctity of the Line of Control. The mortars also played a significant part in the 1999 Kargil war.
These weapon systems have been in the inventory of the Indian Army for close to 60 years, have been decommissioned to make way for newer equipment employing the latest technologies. (ANI)

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], March 16 (ANI): Communist Party of India (CPI) local leaders and workers from Hyderabad on Tuesday staged a protest in Amberpet against former Uttar Pradesh Shia Central Waqf Board chairman Wasim Rizvi and burnt his effigy over a petition filed by him in the Supreme Court seeking to remove 26 verses from the Quran.
Speaking to ANI, Syed Abid Hussain Naqvi, Hyderabad CPI leader said, “Wasim Rizvi has not just hurt the sentiments of Indian Muslim’s but the sentiments of Muslims from all over the world.”
“By filing a petition in the Supreme Court, to remove 26 verses from Quran, Wasim Rizvi has not only hurt of sentiments of Indian Muslim’s but the sentiments of Muslims all across the world.”
He further said that if such acts are done by someone in an Islamic country then he would have been immediately sentenced to public prosecution.
Naqvi also alleged that Rizvi is defaming India with his deeds and demanded that he be hanged or sentenced to life imprisonment.
Sheik Nadeem, CPI in-charge of Amberpet, Hyderabad said that Rizvi is just trying to disturb the communal harmony of this nation by putting up such petitions.
“If people like Wasim Rizvi are allowed to roam free in this nation, then they will disturb the communal harmony of this country,” Nadeem added. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 16 (ANI): The nationwide COVID-19 vaccination has crossed 3.48 crores coverage, informed the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday.
According to an official release, a total of 3,48,59,345 vaccine doses were administered in the country, as per the provisional report till 7 pm on Tuesday.
“These include 75,01,590 health care workers (HCWs) who have taken the first dose and 45,40,776 HCWs who have taken the second dose, 75,91,670 front line worker (FLWs) who have taken the first dose and 16,28,096 FLWs who have taken the second dose, 21,43,109 beneficiaries aged 45 and above with specific co-morbidities and 1,14,54,104 beneficiaries more than 60 years old,” the release said.
It added that a total of 19,11,913 vaccine doses were given till 7 pm today, the 60th day of nationwide COVID-19 vaccination.
“Out of which 16,10,989 beneficiaries were vaccinated for 1st dose and 3,00,924 HCWs and FLWs received 2nd dose of vaccine as per the provisional report. Final reports would be completed for the day by late tonight,” the Ministry added. (ANI)

Gaya (Bihar) [India], March 16 (ANI): As many as four Naxals were eliminated in the Maunbar area of Bihar’s Gaya district on Tuesday, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) said.
“Neutralised Naxals have been identified as Amresh Singh Bhokta, Shivpujan Yadav, Sita Bhuiyan, and Uday Paswan,” the CRPF said.
The force informed that a special operation was launched by 205 CoBRA, 159 Battalion CRPF, along with Bihar police at Maunbar village under Dumariya police station in Gaya district of Bihar earlier in the day.
Four factory-made weapons were also recovered from the operation, which includes three AK series weapons and one INSAS rifle. (ANI)