Stay away from ‘cut money’, Mamata warns party workers

Kolkata, June 21 (IANS) Lashing out at those leaders taking "cut money" or commissions from beneficiaries of government schemes, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee warned her Trinamool Congress workers not to indulge such practices, party sources said on Friday.

"During the review meeting with leaders of Nadia district, the party supremo said that public relations, which were adversely impacted, need to be improved. No one would be spared if one takes cut money from development works," a party source said.

According to party sources, Banerjee also warned that MLAs and MPs would face consequences if their involvement in such corrupt practices was established.

Addressing party workers earlier this week, Banerjee had ordered Trinamool workers, who have taken a commission from beneficiaries of government schemes, to return the ill-gotten amount to the public.

Following Banerjee's instructions, many people across districts laid siege on houses of many Trinamool leaders and members in panchayats and local municipalities, demanding return of the "cut-money".

Actress-turned-politician and party's Birbhum MP Satabdi Roy had said Banerjee should have initiated measures to stop the practice much earlier.

With the amount having reached somebody's home already, it would be "difficult to get that money back", she had said.

Senior leaders, during the review meeting, also held bickering among party leaders as responsible for the dismal performance in the recently-concluded Lok Sabha polls.