Dilip Ghosh attacks ‘threat culture’, corruption under previous regime; says Census path cleared
The Statesman | 31 May 2026
West Bengal Panchayat, Rural Development and Animal Resources Development Minister Dilip Ghosh on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the previous Trinamul Congress (TMC) administration, alleging that “threat culture”, corruption and administrative irregularities had crippled governance in the state for years.
Addressing reporters, Ghosh claimed that officials at various levels of the administration functioned under constant pressure and intimidation. “Threat culture was a major issue in the state. Police officers, SDOs and BDOs could not work independently. They were constantly intimidated,” he said. Taking a swipe at local-level elected representatives of the previous regime, the minister alleged that several individuals who had modest professions rose rapidly to positions of power and amassed wealth.
“Some were masons, some worked as labourers, while others sold poultry. They became councillors, pradhans and chairmen. They did not merely prosper; they grew enormously in influence and wealth. Everything will be investigated,” he said. Ghosh further alleged that widespread corruption in government schemes had fuelled public anger. “Since the elections, many councillors and panchayat heads have stopped attending their offices because of the extent of corruption they were involved in. People are confronting them on the streets. Funds from various government schemes were misused and several irregularities took place.
The resentment among ordinary people is a consequence of these actions,” he claimed. The minister also linked administrative failures under the previous government to delays in the long-pending Census exercise in West Bengal. Without naming the TMC directly, he alleged that the absence of coordination within the earlier administration had resulted in large-scale irregularities and stalled important governance processes. “When a party lacks coordination, fraud takes place. There must have been countless scams and illegal activities. Leaders, ministers and officials were involved, yet the government continued for fifteen years. Census work in Bengal was blocked.
In the first Cabinet meeting, we approved it. Now the Census will begin,” Ghosh said. His remarks came a day after the state government announced preparations for Census 2027, which is expected to be conducted with extensive use of digital technology. The exercise will begin in August 2026, with self-enumeration facilities being introduced for the first time. Residents will be able to submit their details online through a dedicated portal before the commencement of the house-listing phase.
Officials have described the Census as a constitutional obligation and an important exercise for planning, governance and resource allocation. The reference date for Census 2027 has been fixed as 1 March 2027. The state government has also launched digital platforms, mobile applications and a dedicated helpline to facilitate the process and improve data accuracy and public participation.