A video showing Manoj Tigga, the BJP MP of Alipurduar, verbally abusing Amit Kumar Chourasia, the Madarihat block development officer, over the distribution of tarpaulins to families affected by elephant attacks, and calling him an official who works for the Trinamool Congress, went viral on Friday night.
According to sources, the incident occurred on Thursday at the BDO’s office, when the MP entered the BDO’s chamber and demanded an explanation for “delay” in providing tarpaulins to families who had lost their homes or family members due to elephant attacks.
In the video, Tigga is seen repeatedly moving towards the BDO and raising his voice, while Chourasia remains calm and urges him to sit down. The Telegraph has not independently verified the authenticity of the video.
The MP can be heard accusing the BDO of “working for the ruling party” and asking: “How many times have I told you to distribute tarpaulins? Is it the job of a BDO to work for the Trinamool people?”
At one point, Tigga is seen smacking the official’s table in anger.
Following the viral video, political reactions poured in from across Alipurduar.
Prakash Chik Baraik, the Trinamool Alipurduar district president, accused Tigga of hooliganism.
“In the video, I saw the MP repeatedly charging at a senior government official. An elected representative should know how to behave with officials. This is hooliganism, a reflection of the BJP’s political culture. We strongly condemn the incident,” Baraik, who is also a Rajya Sabha member, said.
Political observers in the district said that Tigga, generally known for his calm and soft-spoken nature, had never been seen losing his temper publicly.
His short fuse, as seen in the video, might have stemmed from frustration over what he perceived as lack of cooperation from the BDO, one of them said.
Tigga, when contacted, was critical of the BDO.
“I had been requesting the BDO for a long time to provide tarpaulins to affected people, but he kept ignoring me. I couldn’t tolerate it. The BDO always follows the instructions of Trinamool leaders,” said the MP.
BDO Chourasia was brief in his reaction. He said Tigga entered his chamber without an appointment. “Still, I cooperated with him, but he lost his temper. I have nothing more
to say.”