What Sparked the Tension Between a Trinamool Leader and a BDO in West Bengal?
Incident Overview in Murshidabad
In Kolkata, a youth leader from the Trinamool Congress has been accused of harassing a Block Development Officer (BDO) amid disputes over government tenders and housing scheme fund allocations.
The altercation took place during a meeting on Wednesday in the Domkal block of Murshidabad district, with a video of the incident circulating widely online.
As tensions escalated, law enforcement was summoned, but they too faced harassment.
According to police reports, a meeting of the Panchayat Samiti's Standing Committee (Public Works) was convened at the Domkal BDO office on Wednesday morning to discuss the swift execution of government projects. Towards the meeting's conclusion, Sahana Biswas, the Panchayat Samiti president, along with Mehboob Hasan, the Public Works committee chairman, sought updates from BDO Shankhadeep Ghosh regarding various road tenders and housing scheme finances.
Escalation of the Situation
The BDO explained that he could not disclose all requested information due to government regulations. During this exchange, Mehboob Hasan reportedly stood up abruptly and attempted to physically confront the BDO. A video capturing this heated moment has gained traction on social media.
Following this, a group of Trinamool Congress supporters allegedly surrounded the BDO's office, subjecting him to verbal insults. Even after police from the Domkal station arrived, the situation remained volatile, with the Trinamool leader seen aggressively approaching the officers. Eventually, the police managed to restore order.
In response to the incident, Mehboob Hasan stated, "During the standing committee meeting, we urged the BDO to hasten the progress of housing and other projects. Instead of responding, he made an inappropriate comment. As a government official, he should respect his boundaries when dealing with elected representatives."
Domkal BDO Shankhadeep remarked, "An unfortunate event has transpired. This is an administrative issue, and I have informed the administration and senior officials. Appropriate actions will be taken as per their guidance."