Siliguri ex-mayor slams SJDA for temple on land, calls for public agitation
The Statesman | 27 November 2025
With the state government recently handing over a plot of land in Matigara, Siliguri, to a newly-formed trust for the construction of a Mahakal mandir, the Darjeeling District CPI-M has announced plans to launch a major public agitation ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, veteran CPI-M leader and former state minister Asok Bhattacharya, who served as Chairman of the Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority (SJDA) for nearly two decades, sharply criticised the government’s decision.
Mr Bhattacharya said the land in question originally belonged to the SJDA and had been earmarked for the establishment of an IT hub to create employment opportunities in the region. “Instead of fulfilling its development mandate, the SJDA has handed over this valuable land to a trust for just Re 1 to set up a temple. The state’s duty is not to establish places of worship of any religion; its responsibility is to ensure development and generate employment,” he said.
In an emotionally charged address, the former minister reflected on his long tenure and accused the current SJDA administration of having “lost its purpose.” He alleged that the functioning of the authority has become completely centralised. “Today, the SJDA is being run solely by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. It no longer serves the people, nor does it work for planned development,” he remarked.
Citing past instances that he described as financial irregularities, Mr Bhattacharya claimed that the state government had earlier handed over a large plot of SJDA-acquired land to HIDCO for Re 1, which HIDCO subsequently sold to a private developer in Kawakhali. “The very objective of land acquisition by SJDA has been defeated. These assets were meant to be used for economic benefit and job creation, but the people have not benefited,” he added.
The CPI-M leader said the party is preparing to launch a public movement in the coming months alleging widespread corruption, land mismanagement, and administrative irregularities within the authority.