Political Row Erupts Between BJP, Trinamool Congress Over Kolkata Rains

At least eight people lost their lives through electrocution following intense overnight rainfall that submerged large sections of Kolkata.

Kolkata:

A fierce political confrontation has erupted on social media between the BJP, West Bengal's primary opposition party, and the governing Trinamool Congress as Kolkata faces severe flooding, paralyzed public services, and at least seven electrocution deaths in the aftermath of torrential overnight downpours.

The BJP utilized its social media platforms to share images and videos of Kolkata's waterlogged streets, accusing the TMC-administered Kolkata Municipal Corporation of corruption, while the ruling party condemned the BJP for "exploiting suffering to propagate hatred."

BJP's Bengal unit posted on X about a video showing the heavily flooded Maniktala area in north Kolkata, stating: "Durga Pujo celebrations begin this week. Yet, due to Kolkata's extremely inadequate drainage infrastructure, Puja pandals are underwater. Decades of disorder under CPI(M) and nearly 15 years of corruption in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation under TMC have forced Bengalis to suffer even during their most significant festival, Durga Puja."

Another BJP post featuring a video of the flooded Science City area in eastern Kolkata linked public distress to the state's "lack of business" prospects.

"Observe Kolkata's condition around Science City. This is considered one of the state's prestigious and upscale areas housing several organizations. If civil life faces such conditions, how can anyone contemplate a sustainable existence in Kolkata? How could any organization consider investing here? This represents a breakdown of civic order," the post declared.

In a pointed response, State Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya accused the BJP of politicizing people's hardships.

"Yesterday, Kolkata experienced the fury of an unusual cloudburst. Nearly 300 mm of rain fell within hours, a volume that would overwhelm any city regardless of its infrastructure. Scientists have noted similar situations in Mumbai 2005, Chennai 2015, Delhi 2023 – no urban center escapes when rainfall becomes relentless," Bhattacharya wrote on X.

"Yet what does BJP do? They disregard science, compassion, and climate realities. Their sole fixation is weaponizing suffering and disseminating hatred. They believe people cannot distinguish between a natural disaster and their propaganda," she added.

The minister asserted that Bengal recognizes the difference: "We understand that yesterday represented nature's wrath. We also recognize that BJP's attempt to inject hostility during Durga Puja is calculated and will utterly fail," she declared.

Women and Child Development Minister Sashi Panja claimed that KMC and state government officials were working tirelessly on the streets to alleviate public distress.

"During calamities, leadership is measured through compassion and action. BJP provides neither. Instead, they ridicule Bengal while their own administrations repeatedly fail their citizens yearly at the first indication of heavy rainfall. Empathy remains beyond their vocabulary," she posted on X.

Panja accused the BJP of selectively targeting opposition governments: "When Gurgaon floods, the BJP remains silent. During catastrophes, rather than demonstrating compassion, the BJP merely mocks the Bengal government."

In a strongly worded statement on the same platform, State Opposition Leader Suvendu Adhikari directly attributed public suffering to the relevant civic bodies and the state power department.

"A procession of deaths in a submerged city!" Adhikari wrote.

"In an era where advanced technology provides accurate predictions of rainfall locations and volumes, citizens bear the consequences of incompetent and indifferent municipal administrations in Kolkata and Bidhannagar. They have failed to learn from past experiences, and the same scenario repeats annually," he added.

Adhikari criticized the state Power department, condemning not merely its "complete failure" but its "criminality" in failing to address the hazard of live electrical wires throughout the city.

"Where are your officials? Why haven't effective measures been implemented to manage dangers from live wires? So far, seven innocent individuals have died. This isn't merely failure – it's criminal negligence. Those responsible for this neglect must be held accountable and penalized," he insisted.

The BJP leader emphasized the recurring annual suffering of residents and questioned how long this distress, stemming from mismanagement, would persist.