Raiganj, Nov. 3 -- Several members of the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), including Panchayat Samity members, were injured in a clash outside the Islampur Panchayat Samity office in North Dinajpur district on Tuesday morning over the formation of the board. Police and Central forces reportedly resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the two groups and bring the situation under control.

However, in the evening, Maharani Biswas of BJP was made the Sabhapati of Islampur Panchayat Samity with the support of both GJM and NCPI members while Binta Das Sarkar of NCPI was elected as Sahakari Sabhapati of the board. Pinaki Debnath BDO Islampur stated that the election went off peacefully.

Earlier, the clash took place when members of both parties gathered at the Panchayat Samity office to attend the board formation meeting. The incident followed the arrest of five GJM Panchayat Samity members from a hotel at Salbari in Siliguri late on Monday night, just hours before the scheduled board formation meeting.

GJM president Bimal Gurung said: "We remained in the NDA alliance for a long period. Despite there being no cases or pending warrants against our members, police unethically arrested five of them from Siliguri just before the board formation meeting. We will move the Calcutta High Court seeking justice."

GJM member Juber Alam alleged that NCPI and BJP members assaulted their party workers when they were entering the meeting hall. He claimed that several GJM members sustained injuries and alleged that police also resorted to lathi charge against them. However, NCPI member Omar Farooque countered the allegations, claiming that GJM members had attacked their members first.

The Islampur Panchayat Samity has 38 members. Earlier, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) had 36 members, while the BJP had two. The political equation changed after 16 TMC members moved a no-confidence motion against the then Sabhapati, Binta Das Sarkar on September 8, leading to her removal from the post. Subsequently, 16 TMC members, including Binta Das Sarkar, joined the NCPI, while the remaining 20 TMC members joined the GJM.

Based on a writ filed by GJM members at the Calcutta High Court. Based on the Court's direction, the board formation meeting was scheduled for Tuesday.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.