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TMC under fire after alleged corruption in cyclone relief sparks violence
Villagers alleged that the sum of ₹20,000 that the state government has sanctioned for repairing damaged houses were being given to people close to the ruling party and whose homes did not suffer any damage.
Violence was reported from two places in West Bengal following allegations of corruption in distribution of compensation for those affected by cyclone Amphan, police said Tuesday.
The allegations of corruption were raised against local Trinamool Congress (TMC) panchayat leaders.
A panchayat office and the home of a TMC leader were ransacked by the party’s supporters at Sagar in South 24 Parganas district on Monday morning while the office of the community block development officer (BDO) at Deganga in the adjoining North 24 Parganas district was vandalised late in the night.
Fifteen people, including some college students, were arrested in Deganga on charges of vandalism and blocking Taki Road, the main highway in the area, for several hours, police said.
Samit Mondal, inspector-in-charge of Deganga police station said, “Five of the accused were sent to police remand by the local court this afternoon. They have been charged with destruction of public property, including police vehicles, blocking roads and assaulting people. They are being brought to the police station for questioning.”
In both incidents, villagers alleged that the sum of ₹20,000 that the state government has sanctioned for repairing damaged houses was being given to people who are close to the ruling party and whose homes did not suffer any damage. They also alleged that people were not getting work under the MNREGA projects.
“The violence at Deganga was planned and perpetrated by Naxalite elements with help from the BJP. Two TMC panchayat samity members were assaulted,” said state food and supplies minister and TMC district president Jyotipriyo Mullick.
“The agitation had no link with politics. Many of us are supporters of TMC as well,” said Waziruddin Mullick, a local villager.
BJP’s Bengal unit chief Dilip Ghosh alleged that thousands of TMC panchayat leaders are involved in corruption and this began with distribution of free ration during the Covid-19 lockdown.
“People are revolting now because they have run out of patience. The food minister’s allegations against the BJP are baseless,” Ghosh told the media on Tuesday.
“We witnessed looting of ration during the lockdown. Now it has spread to relief work in Amphan-hit districts,” said Sujan Chakraborty, CPI(M) legislator and leader of the Left parties in the state Assembly.
Referring to the incident at Sagar in South 24 Parganas, Sunderbans affairs minister Manturam Pakhira said the administration would look into the allegations.
