Kolkata, June 19, 2019: A day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee instructed Trinamool Congress workers who have taken a commission from beneficiaries of government schemes to return the amount, villagers laid siege on houses of two Trinamool leaders in the state’s Birbhum district, demanding they return the “cut-money”.
Irate villagers of Srichandrapur in Birbhum, claiming they were Trinamool supporters, demonstrated outside the houses of two Trinamool leaders.
“The money they have taken… they will have to return it to the victims. We will teach these leaders a lesson,” said a protestor.
“We have received houses under government scheme. But these leaders have taken money from us as a commission. Now we are asking them to repay the money, but they are outright denying that they have ever taken money,” said Inda Bauri, identifying herself as a Trinamool supporter.
District BJP Vice President Dilip Ghosh said: “Today at last the Chief Minister is saying these unscrupulous Trinamool leaders will have to return the money to the people. The police should arrest them. After what the Chief Minister has said, the police is now duty-bound to arrest these people.”
But Trinamool booth committee President Rajib Akure, one of the two leaders targeted by the villagers, denied the allegations. “It is just an attempt to frame me. I always stay among the masses. They are trying to besmirch my reputation,” he said. The demonstration was withdrawn after police assured them they would look into the matter.
At a Trinamool workers’ meeting in Kolkata, Banerjee had lashed out against party leaders taking bribes from the people, and ordered them to return whatever money they have taken. (IANS)
