'Cut Money' Refund: PMAY Beneficiaries Receive Cash Back From TMC Workers In Bengal; BJP Shares Video

New Delhi: Amid the ongoing corruption investigations and high-profile arrests in West Bengal, palpable anxiety is rippling through the ranks of the Trinamool Congress's (TMC) grassroots leadership.

In a new development from South 24 Parganas, a local TMC leader was allegedly caught returning cash to residents following accusations that they had been extorted for housing benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).

Cash returned

In the video shared by BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya, a fresh instance of alleged corruption has emerged in Namkhana, South 24 Parganas, where a local TMC leader was captured on video returning ₹5,000 to each of approximately 45 residents.

The move follows public outrage over claims that the payments were extorted to fast-track housing approvals under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.

In West Bengal, the term "cut money" refers to the illicit commissions reportedly demanded by local political workers or intermediaries as a prerequisite for citizens to access government welfare schemes and benefits.

Similar incident in Cooch Behar

A similar controversy is playing out in Cooch Behar, where villagers have resorted to a novel form of protest to hold officials accountable.

As per reports, they are using loudspeaker announcements across the village to publicly remind a local TMC leader of their promise to refund the "cut money" allegedly extorted from PM Awas Yojana beneficiaries.

Public announcements across the Ghughumari Gram Panchayat have transformed the local PA system into an accountability campaign following protests at the home of TMC panchayat member Jyotsna Barman.

Villagers allege that beneficiaries were coerced into paying commissions between ₹5,000 and ₹25,000 to secure or expedite PMAY housing installments.

While demonstrations were paused after leaders pledged to return the funds by June 4, residents continue to hold marches and loudspeaker campaigns to ensure the deadline is met. 

With the BJP having recently ended the TMC’s 15-year tenure in the state, villagers have vowed to renew their protests if the promised refunds are not delivered on time.

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