'Cut' money: BJP holds statewide protests in West Bengal

The BJP held statewide demonstrations in West Bengal on Thursday in protest against TMC leaders taking "cut" money from the beneficiaries of government schemes.

The demonstrations were held in front of government offices, including the state secretariat.

"We organised protest demonstrations in West Bengal against the TMC's cut-money issue. The programme was peaceful," state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Dilip Ghosh told PTI from New Delhi.

Protests were held in front of several borough offices of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation across the city, Rajarhat BDO office and Howrah district magistrate's bungalow, BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha told PTI.

The demonstrations were also held before the BDO and SDO offices in all the districts of the state, he added.

Police said those who staged protest in front of the state secretariat were removed.

The protests in the metropolis and districts were peaceful, they added.

"Cut" money is the amount allegedly charged by political leaders from the beneficiaries of government schemes.

The matter came to light after several people across the state laid siege on the houses of many leaders and members in panchayats and local municipalities of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), demanding the return of the money.

Several instances of gherao of panchayat-level TMC leaders were reported from various districts recently.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had ordered the TMC workers, who had allegedly taken commission from the beneficiaries of government schemes, to return the ill-gotten amount to the public.

Banerjee, who is also the TMC supremo, said at a recent party meeting, "I do not want to keep thieves in my party. Some leaders are demanding a 25-per cent commission for providing housing grants to the poor. This should be stopped immediately. Return the money, if any of you have taken it.