BJP alleges Rs 100 crore flood relief scam in Malda under TMC regime, cites CAG report

Kolkata (West Bengal), January 3 (ANI): The West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday launched a sharp attack on the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), citing a 700-page report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) submitted to the Calcutta High Court. The BJP alleged that the report expresses what could be a massive Rs 100 crore scam in the disbursal of flood relief funds in Malda district under the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC regime.
In a post on X, the BJP claimed the findings point to a "ruthless, systematic loot of public money," alleging that genuine flood victims were deprived of assistance while relief funds were siphoned off by influential individuals linked to the ruling dispensation. Describing it as "a state-sponsored heist," the party said the report lays bare an organised pattern of financial irregularities.
According to the BJP, the CAG findings reveal that 6,965 individuals received flood relief payments multiple times, ranging from two to as many as 42 transactions, into the same bank accounts. The party highlighted one case in Harishchandrapur-2 block where a single individual allegedly received relief funds 42 times. It further alleged that Rs 7.5 crore was disbursed for damage to pucca houses despite the district magistrate's report confirming zero damage to such structures.
The BJP also claimed that 108 public representatives and government employees, including individuals allegedly linked to the TMC, received benefits meant for below-poverty-line households, even though they were drawing regular salaries. Additionally, over Rs 7 crore was allegedly paid to individuals who never applied for relief, with official files from block offices reportedly going missing, raising suspicions of attempts to conceal the trail.
Targeting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the BJP accused the TMC of hypocrisy, alleging that while the government speaks of deprivation, its leaders are "stealing from the poor." "The TMC's DNA is built on "Churi" and "Chit-fund" culture," said the BJP. The party termed the alleged scam "state-sponsored dacoity" and demanded accountability, asserting that the issue would resonate strongly in the run-up to the 2026 Assembly elections. (ANI)