West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has directed a thorough investigation into a devastating fire that swept through the Ghuni settlement near New Town, Kolkata, impacting over 400 residents. The blaze, which erupted on Wednesday evening, completely destroyed the homes of 75 families, leaving them with nothing.
Fire Ravages Settlement, Relief Camps Set Up
The fire broke out in the settlement located behind Eco Park in New Town, within the Rajarhat Jyangra-Hatiara Gram Panchayat area. It took the relentless effort of over 10 fire engines working for several hours to bring the flames under control. Even on Thursday morning, smoke continued to rise from the charred remains, with fire brigade personnel remaining on site.
The affected families, having lost all their belongings and crucial documents, have been forced to take shelter in relief camps. North 24-Parganas District Magistrate Shashank Shetty and other senior officials visited the site and the camps on Thursday to assess the situation and speak with the victims.
Political Storm Erupts Over Voter List Allegations
The incident quickly ignited a political controversy. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleged that the fire was deliberately set to protect illegal voters during the Summary Revision (SR) of electoral rolls. BJP leader Amit Malviya took to social media platform X to make the claim.
Malviya pointed to the Absent, Shifted, or Dead (ASD) list from six booths in Ghuni village, stating that out of around 850 names, nearly 650 were Muslims. He further alleged that about 450 Muslim individuals were marked as 'untraceable', many of them young voters.
TMC and Congress Dismiss Claims as Baseless
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Congress strongly refuted the BJP's allegations, labeling them as unfounded and politically motivated. TMC spokesperson Arup Chakraborty countered the claims, questioning the logic behind branding the affected individuals.
"If they were truly who they are being called, they could neither have submitted SR forms nor produced documents dating back to 2002," Chakraborty stated, defending the legitimacy of the residents. Both parties accused the BJP of exploiting a human tragedy for political gain.
The investigation ordered by the Chief Minister will now seek to determine the exact cause of the fire, even as the political debate over its implications continues to rage.
