Browsing: West Bengal

A very unsettling debate that concerns the whole West Bengal has been stirred by a fresh disclosure of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). Data to the state Election Commission reveal that nearly 34 Lakh (3.4 million) Aadhaar card holders in the state have been marked as deceased. Just the sheer magnitude of the figure has been enough to make people stand and stare. As a matter of fact, the public outrage mainly revolves around the date of the occurrence, i.e. the day when revising the voter list in the state is in full swing.

The former West Bengal Education minister Partha Chatterjee was released on bail on Monday after jail time of more than two years in connection with the alleged school recruitment scam. The decision came as a result of the trials, the arguments, and also the people’s opinions which are greatly split. For many, this moment is not only a political turning point but also a significant emotional transition that has been felt by the whole of Bengal for quite some time.

The atmosphere was truly electrifying. The Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, set the ball rolling for the 26th edition of the Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) at the famous Netaji Indoor Stadium. Often referred to as India’s oldest film festival and the cradle of avant-garde cinema, KIF continues to be the confluence of art and heartfelt emotion, which was evidently the mainstay this time too. The festival took the form of a homage to Bengal’s film past while being profoundly receptive to future cinematic voices.