Jobs in Deocha Pachami being given to Trinamool aides, says BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari

Suvendu Adhikari alleges job scam at Deocha Pachami Coal Mining project, accusing Trinamool Congress leaders of favoritism.

Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday (March 29, 2025) alleged a scam in giving jobs to the land losers at Deocha Pachami Coal Mining project and said instead of locals jobs are being given to relatives and associates of Trinamool Congress leaders.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader targeted Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Samirul Islam and said that jobs have been given to relatives of the Trinamool MP.

Deocha Pachami with an estimated reserve of 1,240 million tonnes (MT) of coal and 2,675 MT of basalt is being touted as the largest coal block in India and the second-largest coal block in the world. The ₹35,000 crore coal mining project has become a prestige issue for the West Bengal government with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announcing the start of basalt mining at the Bengal Global Businesses Summit on February 6.

The allegations by the Leader of Opposition came a day after civil rights groups released a report alleging threats by police and demanding that locals at the coal mining site should have the right of movement and say no to the proposed coal mining project.

“Instead of giving land titles to tribals who have been living there for generations, Samirul [Islam] has given land titles to some well-wishers who do not live in the area. The land title papers were lost from the District Land and Land Reforms Office. An FIR has been ordered to be filed in the police station,” Mr. Adhikari said. The BJP leader alleged that 26 of the people close to the Trinamool MP has got jobs. As per the compensation package announced by the West Bengal government land losers are compensated with ₹13 lakh per bigha and a job for every family.

Mr. Islam refuted the allegations and said that since work at Deocha Pachami has been going on smoothly, the LOP is making baseless allegations to mislead the people

“I challenge Suvendu babu [Adhikari] that of the 1,600 people who have secured jobs by giving land in group D category and junior constable, if anyone of them is in my friend circle then I will consider you as a big leader,” the Rajya Sabha MP said.