Kolkata, July 16 -- The TMC on Thursday launched a fresh attack on the BJP, citing a viral video of Pandabeswar BJP MLA Jitendra Tiwari in which he is purportedly heard accusing members of his own party of extortion, intimidation and harassing ordinary people. Millennium Post has not independently verified the authenticity of the video.
Sharing the clip on its official X handle, TMC alleged that BJP workers in Bengal are "repeatedly and brazenly engaging in extortion, corruption, intimidation and the harassment of ordinary people." The party claimed that the BJP's "brand of goonda raj" is continuing unabated, with its workers allegedly acting with little fear of consequences.
TMC further said these were "not our words" but those of BJP's own MLA who had "laid bare the real state of affairs in Bengal."
In the viral video, Tiwari is purportedly heard saying that within two months, some BJP workers were trying to become "bigger goons" than the Trinamool.
He also alleges that they were illegally occupying government quarters, collecting money from wherever they wished, and harassing contractors by demanding payments and dictating how work should be carried out.
Responding to the controversy, Tiwari clarified that his remarks referred only to three booth-level units in a colliery area and not the entire party organisation. He said the local office-bearers had ignored repeated warnings, prompting him to publicly reprimand them.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.