A Trinamool Congress leader in Chopra block of North Dinajpur has allegedly asked all prospective beneficiaries of the state government-sponsored housing scheme to meet the elected panchayat representatives of his party to finalise the names.

Ziarul Rahaman, a block vice-president of the TMC, was addressing a party meeting at Daspara a few days ago when he made the purported statement.

In December this year, the state government is likely to transfer a portion of the funds for the housing scheme (out of the total assistance of ₹1.20 lakh) to around 11 lakh people for the construction of houses. The announcement was made by chief minister Mamata Banerjee who also accused the Centre of withholding funds for the scheme.

“We have information that a section of Congress workers here (in Chopra) included their names in the list of beneficiaries. Let me be clear that such inclusion doesn’t mean that they will get the assistance. All such persons, whose names are there on the list, should meet the panchayat members and chiefs of our party,” Rahaman was heard saying at the meeting.

Sukanta Majumdar, the state BJP president and a Union minister of state, has alleged that a section of TMC leaders is trying to have “cuts” (bribes) from the beneficiaries.

“The chief minister should control these leaders who want to make money out of this scheme from the beneficiaries,” Majumdar wrote on his X handle.

Basudeb Sarkar, the North Dinajpur district BJP president, pointed out that a few weeks back, the chief of a TMC-run panchayat in Sujali which is under the Islampur block of the district, returned cash to beneficiaries after she faced protests.

“The panchayat chief had taken money from people, promising assistance under the housing scheme. Now, another leader has come up with a new instruction that the beneficiaries must meet their elected representatives. This is nothing but yet another plan by these TMC leaders to make some money,” said Sarkar.

District TMC leaders, however, came up with a different clarification. Kanaialal Agarwala, the Trinamool president of North Dinajpur, said he had spoken to Rahaman.

“There has been a misunderstanding. What he tried to say was that the beneficiaries should contact the panchayat members or pradhans so that there was no gap in the documentation process. The BJP is politicising the matter,” said Agarwala.

Protest

Poushali Chakraborty, the Purbasthali 2 block development officer of East Burdwan district, faced protests in Chupi on Friday as she went there with some other staff to survey to check out whether prospective beneficiaries of the housing scheme are eligible for financial assistance.

Police had to rush to the spot to rescue her and others as the locals confined them to the village.

Sources said as she went there, the villagers insisted she visit their houses to check out how they are living. Chakraborty allegedly denied which led to the protests.