Malda: Suvendu greeted with ‘go back’ slogans, shown black flags in flood-affected Bhutni

Malda: The visit of Bengal’s Opposition leader, Suvendu Adhikari, to the flood-ravaged area of Bhutni in Malda, turned contentious on Saturday afternoon, as local residents expressed their anger over the central government’s perceived inaction during the crisis.

As news spread that Adhikari was coming to assess the flood situation post-receding of the waters, villagers took to the streets armed with black flags. They gathered at the recently constructed Bhutni bridge, which was built at a cost of almost Rs 150 crore by the state government, chanting “Go Back” as his convoy approached at around 4:30 pm on Saturday. Protester Sankar Mandal articulated the crowd’s sentiments: “We have been submerged in floodwaters for over a month, and Adhikari did not come to check on us then. Now that the water has receded, he comes to check the damage. We do not want him here.”

The BJP had constructed a stage at Gobardhan Tola market for Adhikari, where he addressed residents for about seven minutes. He accused the state government of failing to submit flood control project proposals to the central government and emphasised that 50 per cent of funding was needed for effective flood prevention measures. He criticised the Trinamool for neglecting these urgent issues.

The protest escalated when some BJP workers tried to stop the crowds, creating a tense atmosphere. Adhikari, addressing the demonstrators, questioned their motives, suggesting they were only protesting for monetary compensation.

Despite the heated reception, Adhikari participated in the BJP’s relief program, distributing aid before leaving Bhutni. Notably, he did not visit other flood-affected areas, raising questions about the BJP’s commitment to addressing the ongoing crisis.

Sabitri Mitra, MLA Manikchak, stated: “Adhikari is lying that the bridge is built with funds from RIDF but it is actually built from funds of North Bengal Development Department. He has also made derogatory remarks about the people of Bhutni. His cheap tactics to distribute relief and create a fuss will not work here.”