‘We are not begging’: Mamata Banerjee slams Centre for failing to pay dues to state, tears up circular on labour budget

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also criticised the Centre and the Election Commission for holding the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls just before polls in the state.

Written by Atri Mitra

Kolkata | December 9, 2025 07:57 PM IST

3 min read

The TMC supremo urged party leaders to work together to help ordinary people facing difficulties during SIR. (Express photo)

Addressing a Trinamool Congress (TMC) rally in Cooch Behar against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Tuesday attacked the Centre over its failure to pay its dues to the state. She was also seen tearing up a communication from the Centre on the 100-day work scheme.

“Suddenly, they gave us a letter. It says that we have to show the quarterly labour budget. It says that we have to give training, then we can give work. But when will you give training? When will you give work? I say this paper has no value. Bengal will do a hundred days’ work. We don’t want your money. We are not begging,” the chief minister said. She then tore up a copy of the circular before the gathering.

Mamata also criticised the Centre and the Election Commission of India for holding the SIR just before the Assembly elections in the state. “Now the SIR is happening. Now, if you give something in December, then the budget is over in March. The financial year is over. You could not do it then because you did not allow it. Everything is not done by tendering in two months,” she said.

Stating that Bengal is slowly standing on its own feet and the state government is bringing forward several people-oriented projects, the chief minister said, “Bangla has never bowed down and will never do so. Bengal knows how to walk with its head held high.”

The TMC supremo urged party leaders to work together to help ordinary people facing difficulties during SIR. “The BLOs should continue their work as they are doing. The party, too, must work in a united manner. When a battle arises, everyone has to stand shoulder to shoulder and fight together.”

Mamata said, “Do SIR or Self-Initiated Revision, but take time to do it properly. But names must be removed within two months? After being citizens of the country for so many years from Bengal, do we now have to prove again whether we are citizens or not? What could be more insulting than this?”

She claimed that Bengal will end if the BJP wins in the state. “If the state goes into the hands of the BJP, you will not exist. You will not have respect. You will not have an address. Bengal will become a detention camp,” she said, adding that detention camps will not be allowed in Bengal. “The double-engine government has started detention camps in Uttar Pradesh and Assam, but we will not allow NRC (the National Register of Citizens) here. There will be no detention camps,” she assured.

Atri Mitra

Atri Mitra is a Special Correspondent of The Indian Express with more than 20 years of experience in reporting from West Bengal, Bihar and the North-East. He has been covering administration and political news for more than ten years and has a keen interest in political development in West Bengal. Atri holds a Master degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University and Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. He is also an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. He started his career with leading vernacular daily the Anandabazar Patrika, and worked there for more than fifteen years. He worked as Bihar correspondent for more than three years for Anandabazar Patrika. He covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections. He also worked with News18-Bangla and covered the Bihar Lok Sabha election in 2019. ... Read More

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