Park Street Milk Row: Woman Meets Suvendu Adhikari at Janatar Darbar, Housing Assured

The woman at the centre of the Park Street pavement milk controversy met West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari at his Janatar Darbar in Salt Lake on Tuesday, after a viral video of her interaction with Urban Development Minister Agnimitra Paul triggered a political row.

What happened at the Janatar Darbar

Sita Devi arrived carrying a child and met Adhikari at the BJP office after the public grievance programme. The chief minister said he would arrange accommodation for the family and urged her not to continue living on the pavement.

Suvendu's political allegation

After the meeting, Adhikari alleged that people linked to the Trinamool Congress had approached the woman with an offer of money to speak against the BJP. That is an allegation by the chief minister and has not been established as fact.

How the Park Street controversy began

The controversy began after a video showed Agnimitra Paul confronting the pavement-dwelling woman while she was warming milk for a child. Paul later said her concern included the safety risk of using a stove on a busy pavement, while acknowledging that she could have spoken more gently.

Mamata Banerjee's response

Former chief minister Mamata Banerjee had offered to help arrange accommodation, food and education for the family. Her intervention became part of the wider political dispute over the treatment and rehabilitation of pavement dwellers.

KMC moves to arrange accommodation

Later on Tuesday, Kolkata Municipal Corporation officials said they had already spoken to the woman and that steps were being taken to provide her with a roof over her head. This adds a concrete administrative development to the political controversy.

The bigger issue: pavement dwellers and rehabilitation

Beyond the political exchanges, the episode has highlighted the difficult balance between clearing public footpaths, public safety and providing humane rehabilitation for families living on pavements. The immediate question is whether the promised accommodation results in a sustainable solution for the family.

Rashtrix will continue to distinguish verified developments from political allegations as the issue unfolds.