Bongaon, West Bengal l
Fresh controversy has broken out in North 24 Parganas after the name of Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Alo Rani Sarkar, previously declared a Bangladeshi citizen by the Calcutta High Court, was found on the management committee of a local college.
The issue concerns Nahata Jogendranath Mondal Smriti Mahavidyalaya in Bongaon, where Sarkar continues to be listed as a committee member. This discovery has sparked strong protests from both TMC’s student wing and the BJP.
Background of the Case
In an earlier decision, the Calcutta High Court dismissed Sarkar’s election petition and ruled she was a Bangladeshi citizen, noting she had not secured Indian citizenship under the Citizenship Act, 1955.
Sarkar also lost the 2021 Bongaon Dakshin election to BJP’s Swapan Majumdar.
Despite these facts, Sarkar was reportedly nominated to the college management committee in 2021, and the education department has continued her tenure, extending it to June 2025.
Fresh Allegations Surface
Adding to the scandal, the BJP has claimed that another local figure, Newton Das, a registered voter from Kakdwip, allegedly holds dual linkages—as a Bangladeshi protester and a local TMC ally.
The party says Das participated in a 2024 student protest in Dhaka and is closely connected to TMC youth leader Debasis Das, leading to questions about how he remains on India’s voter list.
The BJP alleges this reflects wider issues of illegal infiltration into electoral rolls under TMC support.
Newton Das has denied wrongdoing, stating he’s an Indian voter since 2014 and visited Bangladesh only for ancestral property issues.
Sarkar’s Response
When approached, Alo Rani Sarkar declined to comment, citing that the case is currently sub judice (under judicial review).
This controversy brings attention to issues of citizenship verification, voter list integrity, and political accountability in West Bengal—a state already grappling with frequent clashes between TMC and BJP ahead of upcoming elections.
