Kolkata, 2 July (H.S.) —
A wage dispute between transport operators and drivers at the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) bottling plant in Budge Budge, South 24 Parganas, triggered a protest on Tuesday night, temporarily halting the LPG cylinder filling operations. While initially a labour issue, the incident has now taken a political turn, drawing sharp criticism from the opposition BJP.
Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly and senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari launched a direct attack on the state government, sharing two videos on social media platform X, which purportedly show protestors releasing gas from LPG cylinders onto the road. The authenticity of the videos could not be independently verified.
Adhikari alleged that the reckless act of releasing gas could have caused a major catastrophe affecting the IOCL plant, Budge Budge Institute of Technology (BBIT), Jagannath Gupta Institute of Medical Sciences and Hospital, and the surrounding residential areas. “A single spark could have led to a devastating fire, resulting in massive loss of life and property,” he warned, blaming the incident on what he described as the “uncontrolled syndicate raj of the TMC.”
He further claimed that internal factions of the ruling Trinamool Congress are engaged in turf wars over control of loading and unloading operations, worsening the plight of workers.
TMC Dismisses Allegations, Calls It an Industrial Dispute
Responding to the BJP’s accusations, TMC spokesperson Debanshu Bhattacharya dismissed the claims, stating that the matter was a typical industrial dispute and that the police had taken prompt action to restore order. “Suvendu Adhikari should look into his own past. He too ran syndicates and continues to do so,” Bhattacharya retorted.
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IOCL Clarifies Company Not Involved in Dispute
An IOCL official, speaking on condition of anonymity, clarified that the dispute was strictly between transporters and drivers and did not involve the company directly. “Dispatch and production were affected since Saturday, but we ensured uninterrupted supply by sourcing cylinders from alternative facilities. Operations have now resumed,” the official said.
The Budge Budge plant fills approximately 45,000 to 50,000 LPG cylinders daily, making it a critical facility for meeting Kolkata’s cooking gas demand.
Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh
