Newz Desk, Durgapur: Tension erupted in Anandapur area under Coke Oven police station in Durgapur after local women staged a protest against a Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader, alleging irregularities in the allocation of houses under the government’s housing scheme. The protest took an ugly turn when eggs were allegedly thrown at local TMC leader Biswajit alias Bishu Majhi. Police later reached the spot and rescued him from the protesters.
According to the protesters, beneficiaries had been promised permanent houses under the housing scheme and were allegedly asked to submit various documents in connection with the process. However, despite the passage of time, they claimed that they never received houses. The issue came to a head after some residents reportedly checked their housing scheme details online and found that the status against their names was showing “Successful”. Despite the status, they claimed that no permanent houses had been provided to them.
Angry over the alleged discrepancy, a group of women confronted Biswajit Majhi and staged a protest. During the demonstration, eggs were allegedly thrown at him. It was also alleged that the protesters subsequently took him around the locality amid the agitation.
Protester Sushama Bagdi alleged that houses had been registered in their names, but they had not received the benefits. “Our names have been registered for houses, but we have not received them. We have been deprived in various ways. When we check the documents online, the status shows ‘Successful’. We want the houses that were meant for us. Otherwise, we will launch a larger movement,” she said.
Biswajit Majhi, however, denied the allegations. He said that many names had been registered at the time and IDs were generated as part of the process. “I do not know who was selected for houses. We need to check whose accounts received the money and who withdrew it,” he said. Police personnel reached the area following the escalation and took Biswajit Majhi away from the spot to prevent the situation from worsening. The incident has once again raised questions among local residents over the implementation and monitoring of housing scheme benefits. Further details are awaited as the matter is being looked into.
