KOLKATA: Agitations over the refund of cut money reached its peak as people staged demonstrations at eight places in West Bengal. In east Burdwan, a local Trinamool Congress leader was dragged out of his house, tied to a tree and assaulted. He was released after giving a written declaration that he would refund the money within a month.
Locals alleged that Sheikh Habibul had collected cut money from the labourers involved in MGNREGA work at Durgapur gram panchayat in East Burdwan district. “We came to know he has given a written declaration. No formal complaint was lodged in this regard,’’ said a police officer.
In Ranaghat north-west Assembly constituency, Trinamool MLA Shankar Singh’s posters were pasted on walls accusing him of making crores by collecting cut money. When contacted, Singh said, “I invite those who are doing this to come forward and speak to me.’’
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Flexes with pictures of three panchayat samiti members were seen in Kolaghat which they should return the cut money they had taken. At Mangalkot in East Burdwan, angry locals reached the panchayat to gherao the Pradhan. The angry mob assaulted two panchayat staff members when they found the Pradhan was not present.
BJP’s general secretary in the district Sishir Ghosh said the attack was proof of the common man’s anger.
Two Trinamool leaders were beaten up at Bhalda village in Birbhum district and they gave a written declaration that they would refund the cut money within two months. In Howrah’s Amta-I block office, too, agitators held protests against cut money. BJP’s state president Dilip Ghosh said the agitations were staged by the poor people who were deprived of their rights.
TMC worker found dead, party blames BJP
A TMC worker, Ganesh Bhuniya, was found dead in West Medinipur district. While the TMC alleged that he was killed by the BJP, the saffron party put the blame on TMC’s infighting.