Siliguri, 18th November: Tension erupted in Ward No. 46 on Tuesday when a demolition drive by Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) turned into a dramatic confrontation between the ruling board and its own MMIC, Dilip Barman.
Acting on instructions from Mayor Gautam Deb, SMC staff reached the area to demolish the allegedly illegal parking space of a building. However, MMIC Dilip Barman strongly opposed the drive on the spot.
Barman launched serious allegations against Mayor Gautam Deb and Deputy Mayor Ranjan Sarkar, claiming that a “money game” is ongoing within the corporation. He alleged that the Mayor and Deputy Mayor were repeatedly targeting Ward 46 because they were not receiving their alleged “collections” from the area, calling it a conspiracy.
Accusing the top civic leadership of bias, Barman further stated that earlier, when SMC teams had gone to remove a cowshed and another illegal construction in Ward 46, Deputy Mayor Ranjan Sarkar had called them back. He demanded that if any demolition is to take place, it should begin with those sites first.
A heated exchange also took place between Barman and the police. In a dramatic statement, he warned that if the demolition was carried out forcibly, he would take his own life and hold the police responsible.
Despite nearly two hours of protest, SMC brought in additional police forces and proceeded with the demolition. Municipal workers removed shop partitions and structures built illegally within the parking area of the building. Even after the demolition, Barman continued his attack and warned of consequences in the upcoming Assembly elections.
Meanwhile, shop owner Manik Debnath claimed that the issue had already been mutually settled and the SMC Commissioner had been informed. He alleged that the corporation proceeded without issuing a fresh notice. However, SMC officials asserted that a prior notice had indeed been served.
The incident has once again highlighted internal discord within the Trinamool-led SMC board. Earlier too, during a board meeting, Dilip Barman had openly opposed the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, bringing factional tensions within the civic body to the forefront.