Kolkata: The district administration in South 24 Parganas in West Bengal started demolishing the allegedly illegally-constructed party office of Trinamool Congress general secretary and the party’s Lok Sabha member, Abhishek Banerjee, at Amtala from Saturday afternoon.
At the time the report was filed, the demolition of the five-story party office, reportedly constructed illegally without proper building sanction plan, using bulldozers, was in full swing.
The demolition team is being escorted by a joint team of Bengal Police and the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel. The demolition work is being done under the supervision of the local Block Development Officers (BDO) and the Block Land Revenue Officer (BLRS).
A team of state fire services department personnel is also present at the demolition spot.
The entire demolition spot has been barricaded by the security personnel using guardrails. Currently bulldozers have been deployed for the demolition work.
It is learnt that the South 24 Parganas district authorities had issued a notice to the said party office declaring the constructions as illegal and built without proper building sanction plan.
In the June 30 notice, the Trinamool Congress office bearers were asked to be present for a hearing in the matter on July 15.
On July 7, a reminder notice in the matter was pasted on the wall of the said party office.
“However, there was no reply to the notice and, thereafter, the district administration took the decision to initiate action in the matter. Accordingly, the demolition work started from Saturday afternoon,” said a district administration officer.
As the demolition work started, a group of local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists arrived at the spot. They started shouting slogans hailing the actions of the district administration.
They also alleged that the most notorious criminals of the previous ruling party from South 24 Parganas district like Jahangir Khan used to operate from this party office.
Also present at the spot was the local BJP legislator from Satgachia Assembly constituency, Agniswar Naskar, who alleged that not only was the party office constructed illegally without proper building sanction plan, but the land on which it was constructed was forcefully grabbed by Trinamool Congress-backed goons.
At the time the report was filed there was no reaction from Trinamool Congress over the development.
(IANS)
