Samirul Islam seeks UN intervention over Kolkata water crisis

Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP Samirul Islam has filed a complaint with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) regarding a prolonged water crisis in Kolkata’s Jyoti Nagar Colony.

Islam alleges that approximately 5,000 residents have been deprived of piped drinking water for nearly two months. The MP claims the disruption occurred following the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, alleging that the water supply was deliberately disconnected by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as a form of religious discrimination against Muslim residents who did not vote for the party.

The complaint describes a growing humanitarian concern, noting that children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable. While some private organizations have attempted to provide water via tankers, the supply remains insufficient for the colony’s needs. Islam warned that the lack of access to safe water could lead to widespread disease and emphasized that clean water is a fundamental human right under international frameworks.