Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari today claimed that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has granted permission to the West Bengal government to pay ex-gratia to the families affected by the storm in Jalpaiguri district on 31 March.

In three districts of north Bengal, including Jalpaiguri, there’s a debate between the Trinamul and BJP regarding aid for those affected by the storm. Trinamul Congress claimed that the ECI has not provided the required funds for assistance.

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Leader of Opposition in Bengal Assembly Mr Adhikari, however, alleged that West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and TMC national general secretary and party’s second-in-command Abhishek Banerjee were telling lies to the people that the state government was not able to pay compensation to the families affected by the storm as the model code of conduct was in force and the Election Commission has not given permission for it.

Mr Adhikari posted in his X handle the ECI letter dated 9 April granting NOC to the state government’s proposal to pay ex-gratia to the families affected by the storm.

“You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time. The renowned pair of pathological and congenital liars of West Bengal think they can continue lying and the people of WB will accept it as gospel truth. Well, they are living in a fool’s paradise,” Adhikari wrote in his post. He further stated in the post: “Election Commission of India, on 9 April, granted an exemption for the payment of ex-gratia and house building from the model code of conduct (MCC). This message was conveyed to the West Bengal government on the same day. Thus, there is no embargo on the release of funds for disaster management & civil defence development, a significant portion of which is provided by the central government through the NDRF.” At least five people were killed and over 200 were rendered homeless, after a sudden storm and heavy rain wreaked havoc in Jalpaiguri town and its surrounding areas on 31 March.

On 31 March, the brief storm caused widespread damage in several districts of north Bengal, particularly affecting Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts. Affected families have applied to the government through the ECI for financial assistance, claiming damages worth Rs 1.2 lakh for each affected family.

Trinamul Congress Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose on 12 April, while visiting Jalpaiguri as part of the party delegation, had said, “We have come to visit the affected areas of Maynaguri in north Bengal and to see the plight of the people and their sufferings. The party has urged the ECI to grant permission to the West Bengal government to rebuild the houses of 1,600 families affected by the storm that struck the region on 31 March.”