The Trinamul Congress today brought out the issue of Centre’s fund release under the MGNREGA and Awas Yojana schemes. The party highlighted the subject through a post in its X handle, while the Members of Parliament raised the issue in Parliament.
The TMC post read: “It has been 21 months, 636 days, since Shri @AbhishekAITC challenged the BJP to release a White Paper on funds for Bengal under MGNREGA and Awas Yojana after their humiliating 2021 defeat. Still no answers. Still no accountability.
“Bengal has endured neglect, deprivation, and deliberate injustice – yet our people remain unshaken. Workers, farmers, and the poorest of the poor have been denied their rightful dues through cold political vindictiveness.
“Today, our leaders stood together in protest at Parliament. Their voices carried the demands of the people of Bengal.
“If Delhi refuses to listen, Bengal will go there and make them hear. Joy Bangla!”
The TMC MPs had been silently protesting with placards in Parliament. Ritabrata Banerjee, trade union leader and Rajya Sabha MP said: “In March our national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee had demanded a white paper on the issue and said that the BJP is spending public funds to spread falsehoods. The Union govt. is in a complete denial mode, depriving Bengal of its rightful dues. They have been waging a war against the people of Bengal and we are confident that the people will be giving a fitting rebuff to people in the coming election.”
TMC MP Bapi Halder, who was also part of the protest added: “Our protest, fight, will continue, under the leadership of Abhishek Banerjee, till the time the Centre releases the funds due to Bengal. For MGNREGA, Rs 52,000 crore is being withheld for the daily workers. CM Mamata Banerjee has stood beside the people after cyclones Yash, Amphan and Bulbul. The BJP never sent relief as disaster management. The BJP had said they will build houses for the poor. But it was the state government which spent from its funds to build houses. We demand immediate fund release for Awas Yojana. There is Rs 2,500 crore yet to be released for the Jal Jeevan Mission. We want that.”