Pioneer in short
Prashant Tamang passes away
Singer-actor Prashant Tamang, who rose to national fame after winning Indian Idol Season 3 and was recently lauded for his role in Paatal Lok 2, died on Sunday after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was 43. Tamang collapsed at his Janak Puri residence in west Delhi and was rushed to Mata Chanan Devi Hospital, where he was declared brought dead. Police registered a medico-legal case and shifted the body to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital for post-mortem. Family members told police there was no suspicion of foul play, stating that Tamang went to sleep normally but did
not wake up. His sudden death sent shockwaves across the music and entertainment industry, with friends, colleagues and fans expressing disbelief. Born in Darjeeling to a Nepali-speaking Gorkha family, Tamang’s life was marked by perseverance. After his father’s death, he joined the Kolkata Police before unexpectedly finding stardom through Indian Idol in 2007. He later released music albums and built a successful acting career in Nepali cinema and Hindi entertainment. Tamang will be seen posthumously in Battle of Galwan. He is survived by his wife and daughter.
BJP eyes Assembly polls in TN
BJP national working president Nitin Nabin on Sunday held meetings with party office-bearers and workers in Coimbatore as part of preparations for the forthcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, alleging widespread public dissatisfaction with the DMK Government. During his two-day visit, Nabin interacted with BJP cadres from the Singanallur Assembly constituency, stressing organisational strengthening, grassroots outreach and taking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat to every household. Nabin criticised the DMK regime for what he described as administrative failures, corruption and disrespect towards Sanatana traditions, claiming that Tamil Nadu’s cultural heritage was being undermined. He asserted that the political decline of the DMK would begin from Coimbatore.
TMC running state illegally, BJP alleges
West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya on Sunday alleged a “complete constitutional breakdown” in the State, claiming that a parallel authority is running the administration under the Trinamool Congress (TMC) Government. Addressing a press conference, Bhattacharya said the elected Government no longer exercises real power and pointed to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s intervention during an Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid on January 8 at the office and residence of I-PAC director Pratik Jain. He alleged that the chief minister forcibly removed a “green file” and other documents from the premises with the help of senior bureaucrats and police officers, raising suspicions of evidence tampering linked to coal scam-related money laundering and hawala transactions. He also questioned the use of IPS officers during the raid and accused officials of acting like party cadres.
