NEW DELHI: A Trinamool Congress (TMC) party office belonging to Mathurapur MP Bapi Haldar in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district was vandalised by a group of local residents on Sunday, with villagers alleging that flood relief materials were being illegally stored there, police said.
According to police, window panes and signboards at the office were damaged during the incident. Protesters also alleged that the office had been constructed illegally on a waterbody.
A police officer said the situation was later brought under control and the crowd was dispersed. Haldar rejected the allegations and claimed the vandalism followed the recent political change in the state.
"The relief materials were bought by us for distribution among the locals to mitigate people's hardship in case of floods," he said.
The TMC MP maintained that no materials were being stored illegally at the office. Local TMC leaders accused the BJP of being behind the attack on the party office. The BJP, however, denied the allegation and said its workers had no involvement in the incident.
The incident comes amid ongoing action against alleged illegal structures linked to Trinamool Congress leaders in different parts of West Bengal.
Earlier, civic authorities carried out a demolition drive in Hooghly district, days after similar action near Howrah Railway Station triggered a political row. According to PTI, bulldozers were used to remove structures allegedly built on government land, with heavy police deployment accompanying the operation.
In recent days, demolition drives have also been conducted in parts of Kolkata and adjoining areas. Last week, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) launched operations in Tiljala, Kasba and Beleghata against buildings allegedly constructed in violation of civic norms.
Political Reactions and Allegations
The vandalism has sparked a war of words between the TMC and BJP. While TMC leaders allege a conspiracy by the BJP to target party offices, the BJP has dismissed these claims as baseless. The incident highlights the tense political climate in West Bengal, where accusations and counter-accusations over illegal constructions and relief distribution have become frequent.
Background of Demolition Drives
Recent weeks have seen a series of demolition drives across the state, targeting structures allegedly built on government land or in violation of civic norms. These actions have been met with protests from affected parties, often leading to political confrontations. The TMC has accused the state government of selectively targeting its leaders, while the ruling party maintains that the drives are conducted without bias.
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