Kolkata rains: BJP rakes up 'Durga Puja' pain to attack govt, TMC gives a science retort

Kolkata heavy rainfall: Heavy rainfall lashed Kolkata overnight, resulting in severe waterlogging across large sections of the city. Many areas, including Maniktala, experienced knee-to-waist-deep water, while the flooding caused major disruptions in traffic, rail services, and flight operations. The storm’s intensity left residents struggling, especially during the festive season of Durga Puja. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called the torrential downpour "unprecedented" and offered Durga Puja leave for state-run school employees ahead of schedule as a relief measure.

BJP accuses TMC of civic failure amid Durga puja festivities 

As the city grappled with the aftermath of the cloudburst, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) quickly blamed the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) for the crisis, accusing the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) of corruption and inefficiency. The party posted videos from submerged areas, that speak alot about the city's poor drainage system, especially in the lead-up to Durga Puja.

“Durga Puja celebrations are starting this week. Yet, due to Kolkata’s extremely poor drainage system, Puja pandals are submerged under water,” the Bengal BJP unit posted on X (formerly Twitter). The BJP also claimed that years of mismanagement, starting from the CPI(M)-led government to the current TMC rule, had brought the city to its knees.

In another post, the BJP linked the flood to the city's failing infrastructure, warning that such conditions would deter potential investors. “How can anyone think about living a sustainable life in Kolkata? This is a breakdown of civil order,” the party wrote, sharing images from the flooded Science City area.

TMC fires back: Blaming cloudburst and BJP’s ‘hate agenda’ 

In response, TMC leaders lashed out at the BJP for politicizing the tragedy. Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya sharply hit out at the BJP, accusing them of ignoring scientific explanations for the disaster. “Yesterday, Kolkata faced the fury of a rare cloudburst. Nearly 300 mm of rain fell within hours, a scale that overwhelms any city, no matter its infrastructure. Yet, the BJP ignores science and instead spreads propaganda,” Bhattacharya wrote on X. She also condemned the BJP's efforts to use the natural disaster to sow division.

“We know that yesterday was nature’s wrath. We also know that BJP’s attempt to inject hatred during Durga Puja will fail miserably,” she added. Women and Child Development Minister Shashi Panja also joined the attack, accusing the BJP of lacking compassion and empathy in the face of disaster. “Leadership is measured in compassion and action. BJP offers neither,” Panja stated, adding that the BJP has failed to show empathy during similar calamities in other parts of India. Panja reminded the BJP of its double standards, saying, “When Gurgaon gets flooded, the BJP stays mum. But in Bengal, they mock the government during a crisis instead of offering help.”

Suvendu Adhikari blasts TMC: ‘A procession of deaths’

The BJP’s leader of opposition in the state, Suvendu Adhikari, launched a stinging attack on the TMC government and the city's municipal bodies. Adhikari called the repeated flooding in Kolkata an annual disaster and accused the authorities of incompetence. “A procession of deaths in an inundated city!” Adhikari posted on X, blaming the municipal bodies for failing to act, despite having access to rainfall predictions. He pointed out that the same scenes of waterlogging and chaos had been repeated every year, showing a lack of preparedness.

Adhikari also strongly criticised the state’s power department for the electrocution deaths caused by live wires during the floods. "Where are your officials? Why haven't effective steps been taken to handle the dangers lurking from live wires? Seven innocent people are dead. This is not a failure, this is criminal negligence,” he wrote, calling for accountability and punishment for those responsible.