THREAD: Dispatch from my trip to Baghpat (western UP) last week after PM Modi announced his decision to repeal the three contentious farm laws.
@ThePrintIndia

theprint.in/politics/hardc… For context, Baghpat in western UP was once the stronghold of Chaudhary Ajit Singh and his party, the RLD. The RLD’s main base were the Jat + Muslims of west UP. However, post the Muzaffarnagar riots (2013), the Jat votes have consolidated behind the BJP. Muslim votes have split.

Congress’ strategy meet for the upcoming Parliament session ends.

Party says will demand repeal of farm laws on day 1 and a separate law for MSP. (1/n) @ThePrintIndia Congress will also raise demand for resignation of BJP MoS Ajay Mishra Teni whose car, allegedly driven by his son, ran over farmers and a journalist during a protest against farm laws at UP’s Lakhimpur Kheri. BJP workers died in the incident too. (2/n)

Former Goa CM from the Congress, Luizinho Faleiro, likely to announce his resignation from the Congress in Goa tomorrow. A press conference has been called at 4.30pm. Joining in TMC, probably in Kolkata, day after or later in the week. Luizinho's presser at the same hotel where TMC leader and MP Derek O'Brien has been staying and meeting leaders for the past few days. He's been accompanied by TMC MP Prasun Banerjee.

IS TMC LOOKING AT GOA?

Local media reports in Goa saying since afternoon that TMC is looking to make inroads in the state. Reports say massive deployment of IPAC team in Goa to survey/scout leaders for TMC. TMC had also contested the '12 Goa polls.

thestatesman.com/india/is-mamat… This report claims that former Goa CM and veteran Cong leader Luizinho Faleiro as well as 2 Cong Gen Secs were contacted. Faleiro has confirmed that he has been contacted, nothing else. Acc to this, he & a prominent Goa businessman offered RS berth by TMC.
goanewshub.com/is-luizinho-fa…

THREAD: Last week, @AprturePriority
and I were in the Sunderbans to document the human impact of climate change. 1st day there, we were shown a pic of Protima, who we were to interview the next day. That night, she died by suicide. (1/n) @TheQuint

thequint.com/neon/gender/cl… In 2019, Protima was allegedly trafficked by a boy in her village who she was in a relationship with. Was rescued from Odisha a month later.
1.5 months ago, Protima started receiving calls from her trafficker. A few days later, he allegedly created a FB page in her name. (2/n)

THREAD: While BJP MP John Barla has been criticised by the TMC and his own party for North Bengal UT proposal with the usual "no one can divide us" nationalist trope, it does rekindle an important discourse.

thequint.com/news/politics/… North Bengal has been neglected by successive Bengal govts since independence. A customary look at its health/education/other infrastructure facilities vis a vis rest of Bengal is proof. Within NB, the Darjeeling hills still deal with access to basic resources.

Thread: Wrt the bigoted Bengali-women bashing that is happening here because of #RheaChakroborty and those after her life, here's a little something.

Honestly, in my lived experience, I've faced very little negative commentary for being Bengali. Most remarks are usually... (1/n) ...about how intelligent, beautiful, successful Bengalis are.

The first time I heard this spiel about Bengali women/women from the east knowing black magic was courtesy a Hindi professor at Stephen's who legit said this to me with a straight face in my first year. (2/n)

THREAD: WHAT REALLY HAPPENED JN TELINIPARA?
The last few days, I've received multiples messages asking me to confirm if the viral videos about communal clashes in Hooghly's Telinipara (#WestBengal) were true. Watch/read my ground report here: @TheQuint

thequint.com/coronavirus/we… We visited Telinipara on 13 May, a day after the second round of violence, which started on 10 May. At the outset, I'd like to clarify that there were areas that we were stopped from going. As of now the situation in the area is under control, though tense.

THREAD: Attack at Vishwa Bharati University.

1) Students allege that ABVP students are entering campus along with the VC's car for a few days now.

2) Last evening a gang of people entered Vidya Bhavan Boys Hostel and started isssuing various threats to students. @TheQuint They asked if they were involved in gheraoing Swapan Dasgupta on the 8th. If they said they were then were threatened and pushed around.

3) Economics department student, Swapnanil Mukherjee and Santhali department student Debabrata Nath were picked up... @TheQuint