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Mamata Banerjee questions PM Modi’s respect for President Murmu using 2024 photograph

Mamata Banerjee criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi using a 2024 photograph during a rally as political tensions grow over President Droupadi Murmu’s visit to West Bengal.

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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has intensified her attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi amid a growing dispute over President Droupadi Murmu’s recent visit to the state.

Speaking at a public rally, Banerjee referred to a photograph from March 2024 that shows the President standing while the Prime Minister is seated during a meeting with veteran leader Lal Krishna Advani. The Trinamool Congress leader questioned the government’s claims about respecting the office of the President.

According to a video shared by the Trinamool Congress, two party leaders displayed the photograph while Banerjee addressed the gathering. She argued that while leaders often speak about honouring the President’s office, such visual moments raise questions about whether that respect is truly reflected in conduct.

The photograph referenced by Banerjee was taken on March 31, 2024, when President Murmu and Prime Minister Modi visited Advani to present him with the Bharat Ratna.

Banerjee said the image showed the President standing while the Prime Minister remained seated. She asked whether the government truly respected the country’s first tribal woman President, adding that the picture demonstrated “who respects and who does not”.

President’s visit to Bengal triggers controversy

The political exchange began after President Murmu visited West Bengal on Saturday to attend the ninth International Santal Conference in Darjeeling.

While addressing the event, the President publicly noted that neither the chief minister nor other state ministers were present to receive her. She said that usually the chief minister welcomes the President during such visits but that did not happen in this case.

Murmu added that Banerjee is like a “younger sister” to her and said she did not know whether the chief minister was upset.

The President also raised concerns about the change in the event venue and suggested that the new location made it difficult for people to attend. She said she did not know why the state administration had not permitted the programme at the earlier venue.

Prime minister criticises Bengal government

Reacting to the developments, Prime Minister Modi described the situation as “shameful and unprecedented”. In a post on social media, he said the incident had saddened people who believe in democracy and in empowering tribal communities.

He added that the pain expressed by President Murmu had caused widespread concern and accused the West Bengal government of disrespecting the office of the President. The Prime Minister also said the dignity of the President’s position should remain above political disputes.

Speaking at a public event later, Modi said the developments were particularly unfortunate as they occurred on International Women’s Day. He alleged that the Trinamool Congress government had boycotted both the tribal event and the President.

Mamata Banerjee denies protocol violation

Banerjee rejected the allegations, saying no protocol lapse occurred during the visit.

According to the chief minister, the event had been organised by a private body, the International Santal Council, which invited the President to attend the conference in Siliguri. She said the district administration had warned the President’s Secretariat that the organisers lacked adequate arrangements to host such a programme.

Banerjee also stated that the advance team from the President’s Secretariat visited the site earlier in March and was informed about the shortcomings but the event continued as scheduled.

She added that officials including the mayor of Siliguri Municipal Corporation, the Darjeeling district magistrate and the Siliguri police commissioner received and saw off the President according to the approved protocol lineup.

The chief minister said she was not part of the official lineup or the event’s dais plan and accused the BJP of using the country’s highest constitutional office for political purposes.

Centre seeks report from state

The issue escalated further after Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan wrote to West Bengal Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravorty seeking a report on alleged lapses during the President’s visit.

According to sources, the letter asked why senior state officials such as the chief minister, the chief secretary and the director general of police were not present to receive the President. It also raised concerns about reports of poor arrangements at the venue, including the absence of water in a washroom designated for the President and garbage along the route.

Officials from the Darjeeling district administration and Siliguri police were also mentioned in the communication, with the Centre seeking details of any action taken.

The controversy has now turned into a sharp political confrontation between the Centre and the West Bengal government.

India News

Mother Dairy raises milk prices by Rs 2-4 per litre from November 12

Mother Dairy has increased milk prices by Rs 2-4 per litre from November 12. Full cream milk will now cost Rs 76 per litre, while toned milk will be priced at Rs 62.

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Mother Dairy has increased the prices of its liquid milk variants by Rs 2 to Rs 4 per litre, with the revised rates coming into effect from Thursday, November 12. The price revision will affect consumers in the Delhi-NCR market, where the dairy company is a major milk supplier.

The increase comes amid rising input costs, particularly higher procurement prices paid to farmers. According to sources, the company has decided to pass on part of the additional cost to consumers.

A spokesperson for Mother Dairy declined to comment on the latest price revision.

Check new Mother Dairy milk prices

The revised rates cover several liquid milk variants sold in the NCR market. Full cream milk has seen the highest increase of Rs 4 per litre.

Here are the revised prices:

Milk variantOld priceNew price
Toned milk (bulk vended)Rs 58Rs 60
Full cream milk (pouched)Rs 72Rs 76
Toned milk (pouched)Rs 60Rs 62
Double toned milkRs 54Rs 56
Cow milkRs 62Rs 65

The new prices will be applicable from November 12.

Why Mother Dairy has increased milk prices

The latest revision follows an increase in the procurement prices of milk from farmers. Sources said the higher procurement costs have prompted Mother Dairy to partly transfer the additional input expenses to consumers.

The company passes on around 75-80 per cent of its milk sales realisation to farmers.

Mother Dairy had last increased milk prices on May 14, 2026. Before that, its previous price revision took place in April 2025.

Mother Dairy’s daily milk sales

Mother Dairy sells approximately 35 lakh litres of milk every day in the Delhi-NCR market through its own outlets, general trade channels and e-commerce platforms.

Its overall daily milk sales exceed 50 lakh litres.

The company recorded a 17 per cent increase in turnover to Rs 20,300 crore in the last financial year. The growth was supported by improved demand for its milk products and cooking oils.

About Mother Dairy

Commissioned in 1974, Mother Dairy is a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).

The company sells milk and milk products under the Mother Dairy brand. It markets edible oils under the Dhara brand, while fresh fruits and vegetables, frozen vegetables, snacks, pulps and concentrates are sold under the Safal brand.

Mother Dairy operates nine milk processing plants and four horticulture processing plants. Its edible oil operations are supported by 16 associated plants.

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India News

Air pollution as big a health emergency as COVID, says former WHO chief Soumya Swaminathan

Former WHO Chief Scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan said air pollution should be treated with the same urgency as COVID, highlighting its effects on children, pregnancy and multiple organs.

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Air pollution should be treated as a major public health emergency requiring an urgent and coordinated response, former World Health Organisation (WHO) Chief Scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan has said.

In an exclusive interview, Dr Swaminathan compared the scale of the air pollution health crisis with COVID and said its effects can extend across the body, including the brain, lungs and cardiovascular system. She also highlighted links between pollution exposure and conditions such as asthma and diabetes.

Why air pollution needs a COVID-like response

Dr Swaminathan said COVID triggered an immediate public response because it was sudden, visible and associated with an unknown virus. Air pollution, by contrast, is often less visible and its effects accumulate over time.

She said people may become accustomed to pollution because it is not always visible, particularly outside the winter months. But she stressed that prolonged exposure can still cause serious health damage.

She called for the issue to receive an “equal, urgent, coordinated and scientific” response, similar to the approach taken during the COVID crisis.

PM2.5 poses risks from pregnancy to childhood

Dr Swaminathan also highlighted concerns about exposure to fine particulate matter, particularly PM2.5, among pregnant women and children.

According to her, these tiny particles can enter the lungs and bloodstream and may also reach the placenta. She pointed to higher rates of premature births and low birth weight among babies born in areas where mothers are exposed to high levels of air pollution.

She also said children are particularly vulnerable because their brains and other organs are developing rapidly. Children breathe faster than adults, and those growing up in heavily polluted areas can have smaller lungs, she said.

Why AQI may not tell the full health story

Dr Swaminathan suggested moving beyond the conventional Air Quality Index (AQI) towards an Air Quality Health Index (AHQI).

The proposal would place greater emphasis on how individual pollutants affect different groups of people. She noted that the dominant pollutant can vary from one city to another, while its health impact may also differ for groups such as pregnant women and children.

The current AQI uses eight major pollutants as parameters: PM10, PM2.5, ozone, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, lead and ammonia. The overall AQI is determined by the highest pollutant sub-index.

Swaminathan does not favour shutting schools

On protecting children from polluted air, Dr Swaminathan said she was not in favour of simply closing schools.

She argued that children from poorer families may continue breathing polluted air at home, while also losing access to education, social interaction and midday meals.

Instead, she suggested making school environments cleaner. Her proposals included installing air purifiers in classrooms, providing pick-and-drop bus facilities and encouraging older children to wear masks when outdoors.

Five measures suggested to tackle pollution

Dr Swaminathan outlined five key measures for addressing the pollution crisis:

  1. Launch a national clean air programme, which she suggested could be called the “Swachh Vaayu Abhiyan”.
  2. Prepare a costed, long-term plan with sustained investment and study lessons from countries such as China.
  3. Establish empowered leadership and accountability for tackling air pollution.
  4. Create a panel of experts to develop a science-based, multi-sectoral and multi-year plan.
  5. Put health at the centre of air pollution policy.

She also supported treating the right to clean air as a basic public health entitlement, linking it to the constitutional right to life.

Dr Swaminathan’s central argument was that air pollution should no longer be treated as a slow-moving or routine environmental problem, but as a serious health crisis requiring sustained action.

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Terrorists open fire at CRPF personnel in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam, search operation underway

Terrorists opened fire on CRPF personnel at a naka in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district. The attackers fled and a search operation was launched.

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Unidentified assailants opened fire on Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Wednesday afternoon, according to the CRPF.

The incident took place at a security naka in the Kulgam area. The attackers, who were reportedly travelling on a motorcycle, fled after opening fire on the security personnel.

According to the CRPF statement, the firing occurred at around 2:15 pm. The injured personnel were shifted to a hospital in Anantnag district for treatment.

Search operation launched for attackers

Following the firing, security forces launched a cordon and search operation to locate the attackers.

The assailants have not been identified so far, and further details about the incident are awaited.

What happened in Kulgam

The CRPF personnel were deployed at a naka when the unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants opened fire at them. After the attack, the assailants fled from the spot.

The CRPF said the injured personnel were taken to a hospital in Anantnag for medical treatment. A search operation was subsequently launched to track down those responsible for the attack.

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