Tension flared in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district once again on Sunday evening after locals allegedly recovered a large quantity of flood relief materials from the office of Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Bapi Haldar in the Mathurapur area, triggering protests and vandalism at the premises.
According to local residents and BJP workers, hundreds of cartons and boxes containing relief supplies meant for economically weaker sections and flood-affected families were found stored inside the MP’s office. The discovery sparked outrage among residents, who alleged that the materials had not been distributed to those in need and were instead being stockpiled at the premises.
As word spread, a large crowd gathered outside the office. Protesters allegedly entered the building and recovered the relief materials. Slogans, including “Jai Shri Ram”, were raised during the demonstration as tensions escalated.
The situation soon turned volatile, with sections of the crowd vandalising parts of the office. Visuals from the area showed people carrying away cartons and relief packages allegedly recovered from the premises.
Residents claimed that despite the need for assistance in several areas, the relief materials had remained undistributed. They accused local TMC leaders of withholding supplies meant for affected families.
Following the incident, police personnel rushed to the spot and were deployed in large numbers to bring the situation under control and prevent further unrest. No immediate reports of injuries were available.
The controversy came amid a politically charged atmosphere in West Bengal, where tensions between the ruling BJP and the Trinamool Congress have intensified in the aftermath of the Assembly elections.
The incident occurred just a day after another episode involving senior TMC leaders triggered political controversy. On Saturday, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee was allegedly roughed up by a group of locals during a visit to Sonarpur in South 24 Parganas, where he had gone to meet families affected by post-poll violence.
According to police, unidentified people threw stones, shoes and eggs at Banerjee while shouting slogans of “thief, thief”. Visuals from the scene showed the Diamond Harbour MP being escorted away wearing a helmet, with his shirt torn during the commotion.
Several local women carrying broomsticks and bamboo sticks had gathered outside the residence of a TMC worker where Banerjee had stopped.
After the incident, Banerjee accused BJP workers of attempting to kill him and claimed the attack was politically motivated. He alleged that his clothes were torn and spectacles broken during the violence and said he would raise the matter before the Calcutta High Court and the Governor.
A day later, another TMC MP, Kalyan Banerjee, alleged that he suffered a head injury after being mobbed by BJP supporters outside a police station in Hooghly district. He had visited the police station to submit a memorandum protesting the arrest of TMC workers after the elections.
Kalyan Banerjee claimed he was struck on the head during the protest and was later seen holding a cloth against the back of his head. The BJP rejected the allegations, maintaining that angry locals across the state were expressing resentment against TMC leaders.
The back-to-back incidents have added to the growing political friction in West Bengal, with both the TMC and BJP accusing each other of provoking unrest and violence.
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With inputs from Prasenjit Saha
