Hindus Protest Against Mamata’s TMC Government Over Worsening Water Crisis [Asansol, West Bengal]

(Reported as seen)

In a troubling development, residents of the Kulti neighborhood in Asansol, West Bengal, have accused the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) government of deliberately cutting off their water supply following the 2024 Lok Sabha election results. The accusations have sparked significant unrest and protests in the area.

According to local reports, the Kulti neighborhood has been grappling with an acute water crisis for some time. Before the elections, the government dispatched several water tankers to alleviate the water shortage. However, residents claim that the number of water tankers sent to the area has been drastically reduced since the election results. Furthermore, the availability of piped water has declined from 30 minutes to a mere 15-20 minutes daily.

Forced by these dire circumstances, residents launched a protest against the Mamata Banerjee-led government, demanding immediate action to resolve the water crisis. They blocked the Asansol Barakar GT Road using fallen trees and set up barricades. BJP MLA Ajay Kumar Poddar (Pachim Bardhaman) joined the protesters and voiced their grievances.

“Water is life. People in the area are not getting water… As a result, people are forced to hit the streets. This protest is not being carried out on the behest of any political party. Earlier four water tanks used to come daily. Now, it has been reduced to one,” remarked Poddar.

He further emphasized, “They could not build the infrastructure. Pipes are installed in houses but there is no water. TMC lost in the area and so they cut off our water supply.”

In response, the Trinamool Congress has denied these allegations. Asansol Mayor Bidhan Upadhyay stated, “The allegations made by the BJP are baseless. BJP also did well in Asansol South. Then the water would have been shut off there too. The real reason is that the storms and rains have caused problems in the water lines. But it will be alright. Our government and municipality do not work with any political motive. BJP is known to make excuses after losing elections. That’s their job.”

This incident is not an isolated one. Earlier in the month, an X (formerly Twitter) user, ‘Subham,’ reported that the TMC government was punishing residents of a housing society in Kolkata for voting in favor of the BJP by dumping garbage outside their homes. The TMC State General Secretary, Nilanjan Das, confirmed this on social media, calling it a ‘non-violent means of revenge,’ which sparked further outrage and condemnation from the BJP.

The ongoing tensions and accusations of political retribution in West Bengal highlight a growing concern over the politicization of basic public services and the implications for residents caught in the crossfire of political rivalries.