'Pledge allegiance to ruling party’: Village head’s diktat to ISF workers in West Bengal

Modasser Hossain, the panchayat head of Bhogali-II panchayat in Bhangar, on Monday said that those who worked for the Indian Secular Front (ISF) during the West Bengal assembly legislative elections should pledge allegiance to the TMC.

A panchayat pradhan West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas stoked controversy on Tuesday by issuing a diktat which said that people pledging allegiance to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) will get work under the 100-days' job scheme.

Indian Secular Front (ISF) founder Abbas Siddiqui's seen addressing a press conference, The ISF and the TMC have been at loggerheads but tensions are expected to rise as a village chief in South 24 Parganas asked ISF workers to pledge allegiance to the TMC for jobs under government schemes. (PTI File)

Modasser Hossain, the panchayat head of Bhogali-II panchayat in Bhangar, on Monday said that those who worked for the Indian Secular Front (ISF) during the West Bengal assembly legislative elections should pledge allegiance to the TMC. “Those working for other parties have to surrender to the ruling party if they are willing to find work under the scheme,” Hossain said.

“Activists who had worked for other parties during the elections after having taken all facilities from us will not be considered (for the scheme) unless they surrender to us. Those who worked for the ISF during elections will have to show their allegiance to the ruling party,” he further added.

The ISF said that political leanings should not be a criteria in such matters. Bhangar MLA Naushad Siddiqui who emerged victorious by defeating the TMC in Bhangar said that elected representatives need to work for everyone despite their political leanings while criticising Hossain’s assertion.