‘Only farmers of Bengal deprived of central benefits’: PM Modi’s sharp attack on Mamata Banerjee

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched a sharp attack on Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal and said the state was deprived of the benefits of the Centre’s schemes because its leaders were busy in furthering their own political ideology in name of farmers’ protest.

“Today, more than Rs18,000 crores have been directly deposited in the accounts of farmers; no middlemen, no commissions. But the 70 lakh farmers of West Bengal have been deprived of the benefits of the Centre’s schemes. Bengal is the only state which is not allowing benefits of the schemes to reach the farmers,” PM said after releasing the next instalment of PM-Kisan, the direct cash-transfer scheme for farmers.

Those who have ruled West Bengal for over three decades have destroyed the state, the PM further said, asking why the Opposition does not raise objections when the same people who stand against central schemes in Bengal go to Punjab and change colours.

“Mamata Banerjee’s ideology has destroyed Bengal. Her actions against the farmers have hurt me a lot. Why is the Opposition quiet on this?” he said.

“Many farmers from Bengal have written to the Centre, seeking benefits that haven’t reached them because of their state leaders, but the to no avail. The state government does not give importance to their appeals. I am astonished and in pain,” the PM said.

PM’s latest outreach comes amid ongoing farmers’ protests against the three laws passed by the Parliament in September to reform the farm sector.