Bengal seeing bias, harassment: Mamata's fresh attack on BJP

Mamata Banerjee has hit out at the BJP yet again.

Updated on: Jan 16, 2023, 16:44:43 IST

By HT News Desk | Edited by Swati Bhasin, New Delhi

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West Bengal is running the rural jobs scheme - Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005 (MGNREGA) - without the support of the central government, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Monday in a fresh attack while alleging discrimination. The central government owes Bengal ₹6,000 crore for the MGNREGA funds, Banerjee said while also claiming that central teams were being sent to Bengal for harassment. "Why is West Bengal facing such discrimination despite being number one in MGNREGA implementation? We are running the scheme without any central assistance," the 68-year-old Trinamool Congress chief was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

(File) Chief minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee. (Photo by Samir Jana/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times) (HT_PRINT)

"The central government is not releasing MGNREGA funds to West Bengal. It owes us ₹6,000 crore. BJP-ruled states, however, are getting funds for the 100 days' work scheme," she further claimed.

Banerjee-led Bengal government and the leaders of the BJP have been locked in stand-offs multiple times in the past. Recently, her party's Saket Gokhale was arrested in Gujarat over a tweet on the collapse of Morbi bridge and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the site of incident. She also attacked the Gujarat Police on Monday over the arrest.

The West Bengal Chief Minister - in her latest attack on the BJP - also challenged the rival party, saying that its power "will not remain forever". Her comments come days after Nobel laureate Amartya Sen - in an interview with PTI - had said that she has the ability to fight for the Prime Minister's post in 2024. The remark, however, drew strong response from BJP leader and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan who said "there was no vacancy" for the PM post amid popularity for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Mamata Banerjee has been holding meetings with other opposition leaders ahead of the next Lok Sabha elections. She is also eyeing to expand the Trinamool Congress footprint in Meghalaya where she will be making a visit on Wednesday in the run up to polls.

(With inputs from PTI)

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