Archive · 31 Jul 2026
Protest Over Corruption Spurs New Panchayat Board in Cooch Behar
In a small village in West Bengal, people were upset because the local leader, Alima Khatun Bibi, was accused of taking money from people who wanted houses or jobs.
They marched to ask her to step down.
Meanwhile, in a nearby village, the BJP party set up a new local council to fix the problems that had stopped the village from getting basic services.
Some members of the old council joined the new one.
The new council now has more members from the BJP and some from the old party, and they hope to make life easier for everyone.
Villagers in Burirhat-I demanded Pradhan Alima Khatun Bibi’s resignation over alleged corruption and ‘cut money’ collection.
Alima Khatun Bibi and her husband Abdul Sattar were accused of taking money from beneficiaries and job aspirants.
BJP formed a new board at Takagachh-Rajarhat panchayat, appointing Sangita De Karmakar as pradhan and Saugata Ghosh as upa-pradhan.
The new board was created after resignations of Trinamool leaders, ending a deadlock that had halted basic civic services.
The panchayat now has 17 Trinamool and 10 BJP members, with some Trinamool members supporting the new BJP-led board.
- Who
- Villagers, Alima Khatun Bibi, Abdul Sattar, BJP MLA Sukumar Roy, Sangita De Karmakar, Saugata Ghosh
- What
- Protest over alleged corruption and formation of a new panchayat board
- When
- Thursday
- Where
- Burirhat-I panchayat, Dinhata-II block, and Takagachh-Rajarhat panchayat, Cooch Behar district, West Bengal
- Why
- To address corruption allegations and restore governance after administrative paralysis
- Protest location
- Burirhat-I, Dinhata-II block, Cooch Behar district
- New board formed at
- Takagachh-Rajarhat panchayat
- Pradhan appointed
- Sangita De Karmakar
- Upa-pradhan appointed
- Saugata Ghosh
- Party composition
- 17 Trinamool, 10 BJP
- Allegations
- cut money ₹10,000-₹20,000
- Date of event
- Thursday