BEHRAMPORE: Dispute over payment of National Rural Employment Guarantee Act ( NREGA) scheme on Tuesday led to bloodshed in Murshidabad's Domkal the home turf of state panchayat minister Anisur Rahman. The tiff over the trivial issue took one life and left one injured speaking volumes for the underlying tension in the rural pockets of Bengal where political rivals have become used to settling all disputes with arms.
On Tuesday morning, CPM-backed goons allegedly pounced on Congress worker Abu Hasem Mondal while he was sipping tea at a Garaimaribazar tea stall. According to an eyewitness, who was sipping tea with Mandal, eight armed goons came and overpowered the Congress worker before slashing him in the belly and head with a hansua (sickle). Those present in the shop ran for their lives while Mandal lay on the road bleeding profusely.
Mondal is now fighting for life at the Behrampore New General Hospital with critical injuries. His offence was that he dared raise his voice against the alleged non-payment of NREGA wages to 11 Congress activists who had worked under the CPM-run panchayat. To avenge the attack on Mandal, Congress supporters then shot at CPM's Manik Mondal, who died on the spot.
"The CPM-run panchayat refused to pay 11 Congress workers their due NREGA wages for 14 days. Abu protested against the discrimination on Monday. Little did he know that the goons would take revenge the next day to suppress the rising dissent against the CPM. We will meet the Domkal BDO and demand arrest of the culprits. We will also urge the local administration to bring transparency in the selection of beneficiaries and also ensure their payment," said Domkal block Congress president, Saoni Singha Roy.
Local CPM leader Jahiruddin Mondal, on the other hand, blamed the Congress "goons" of fleecing the poor wage labourers. "Abu Hasem Mondal had opened fire at CPM's Manik Mondal the other day, because he refused to pay the money Abu and his men demanded. Later, Manik left his village and started staying at Rajapur. We will hit the streets against his brutal murder," the CPM's local secretary said.
State panchayat minister Anisur Rahman said the administration would take immediate steps to book the culprits. "Party affiliations won't come in the way of investigation," the minister said.
Read more: NREGA pay row sparks violence, 1 dead - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata-/NREGA-pay-row-sparks-violence-1-dead/articleshow/7062602.cms#ixzz18vbxQC4G
On Tuesday morning, CPM-backed goons allegedly pounced on Congress worker Abu Hasem Mondal while he was sipping tea at a Garaimaribazar tea stall. According to an eyewitness, who was sipping tea with Mandal, eight armed goons came and overpowered the Congress worker before slashing him in the belly and head with a hansua (sickle). Those present in the shop ran for their lives while Mandal lay on the road bleeding profusely.
Mondal is now fighting for life at the Behrampore New General Hospital with critical injuries. His offence was that he dared raise his voice against the alleged non-payment of NREGA wages to 11 Congress activists who had worked under the CPM-run panchayat. To avenge the attack on Mandal, Congress supporters then shot at CPM's Manik Mondal, who died on the spot.
"The CPM-run panchayat refused to pay 11 Congress workers their due NREGA wages for 14 days. Abu protested against the discrimination on Monday. Little did he know that the goons would take revenge the next day to suppress the rising dissent against the CPM. We will meet the Domkal BDO and demand arrest of the culprits. We will also urge the local administration to bring transparency in the selection of beneficiaries and also ensure their payment," said Domkal block Congress president, Saoni Singha Roy.
Local CPM leader Jahiruddin Mondal, on the other hand, blamed the Congress "goons" of fleecing the poor wage labourers. "Abu Hasem Mondal had opened fire at CPM's Manik Mondal the other day, because he refused to pay the money Abu and his men demanded. Later, Manik left his village and started staying at Rajapur. We will hit the streets against his brutal murder," the CPM's local secretary said.
State panchayat minister Anisur Rahman said the administration would take immediate steps to book the culprits. "Party affiliations won't come in the way of investigation," the minister said.
Read more: NREGA pay row sparks violence, 1 dead - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata-/NREGA-pay-row-sparks-violence-1-dead/articleshow/7062602.cms#ixzz18vbxQC4G