Bengal BJP leader claims disparity in ‘puja bonus’ for civic volunteers, CM refutes

With a few days to go before Durga Puja celebrations commence in West Bengal, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari has alleged that the state is differentiating between civic volunteers under the state police from those who work under Kolkata Police, in terms of paying out “puja bonus”.

Adhikari, on X, claimed that the “disparity” in puja bonus being paid to the civic volunteers is “baffling”. “While those employed by Kolkata Police are being paid an amount of over Rupees five thousand, their colleagues in WB Police are being paid a paltry amount of Rupees two thousand only,” Adhikari alleged.

He added: “This is what happens when the administration is operated from South Kolkata, the rest of West Bengal seems blurry to their eyes.”

The reference made about south Kolkata, apparently, is about the chief minister’s residential office.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, is staying home, in accordance with the medical advice, following her leg injury. A day earlier, she had held the cabinet meeting at her residential-office, and had also inaugurated numerous pujas, virtually.

Adhikari stated that he had no problem with Kolkata civic volunteers receiving Rs 5,300. He urged that the same amount be offered to the civic volunteers in the rest of the state. He “requested” the state home secretary to “end this discrimination”, immediately.

With the post, Adhikari shared a graphic that, seemingly, has two text messages from the banks, to accounts of “Kolkata police civic”, and “Bengal police civic” personnel. The first claims a credit of Rs 5,300, the other Rs 2,000.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on X, without naming anyone, stated, “Some ill-motivated political parties/ persons are trying to create divisions and animosity between different cadres of Kolkata Police and West Bengal Police.”

Banerjee further stated: “I assure that civic volunteers of WBP will also receive Puja bonus of Rs 5,300 like their counterparts in Kolkata Police.” The chief minister added that ASHA workers under the health and family welfare department, too, will get a puja bonus of Rs 5,300.

Men and women are engaged as civic volunteers by police on contractual basis, and paid at rates as prescribed by the government. The volunteers assist police in traffic management.