Facing BJP fire, Mamata Banerjee’s veiled attack on PM Cares Fund

The BJP and governor Jagdeep Dhankhar had alleged that there has been a multi-crore scam in the purchase of medical equipment to fight the Covid-19 pandemic in Bengal.

Under fire from the opposition over allegations of corruption in purchase of medical equipment to fight coronavirus in Bengal, chief minister Mamata Banerjee, in a counter attack, sought to know how much money has been deposited with the ‘Take Care Fund’, an indirect reference to the PM Cares Fund.

West Bengal, Aug 24 (ANI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addressing during an administrative review meeting with ministers, in Kolkata on Monday. (ANI Photo) (ANI)

The BJP and governor Jagdeep Dhankhar had alleged that there has been a multi-crore scam in the purchase of medical equipment to fight the pandemic in Bengal.

“Some people are questioning the money spent over purchasing masks. I would ask them to first come clean and let me know how much money has been deposited with the ‘Take Care Fund’ before questioning others,” Banerjee said at the state secretariat during a virtual administrative meeting with district officials.

The PM Cares Fund was set up by the Centre on March 28 as a public charitable trust with the primary objective of dealing with any kind of emergency or distress situation such as that posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Taking note of the allegations, the West Bengal government had set up a three-member committee last week to look into the matter.

Dhankhar, however, had alleged that that the probe panel set up by the Mamata Banerjee-administration was an attempt to cover up the truth. Leaders of the BJP’s Bengal unit echoed the sentiment.

“Multi Crore Scam-Pandemic Purchase @MamataOfficial. Cover Up Probe-Lacks credibility. Decision Makers (-one) probing to shield culpability #MAP. Post facto saviour mechanism! Independent Probe can alone fasten culpability. Need Probe to track money trail and ill-gotten gain,” Dhankhar had tweeted on Friday.

Banerjee, however, reminded how the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) had to withdraw swab testing kits after they were found defective.

“Even the ICMR had to recall the kits after they were found defective. This means something (some scam) was behind it. Before questioning the West Bengal government, one should first ask from where the ICMR purchased the defective kits,” she said.

Mamata lashed out at the ruling BJP government at the Centre, claiming that it owes more than Rs 53,000 crore to the West Bengal government.

“The state hasn’t received a penny from the Centre to fight the pandemic. Have you ever found out from where the state is arranging the funds to purchase medical equipment? We had set up a Covid-19 fund and have received more than Rs 150 crore which we utilised. But we never come to know how much money other such funds have received till date,” she added.