Premium

Mamata targets Centre over MGNREGA funds in West Bengal Assembly; BJP walks out after MLA suspended

BJP’s Kumargram MLA Manoj Oraon was suspended for a day after continuing to protest despite repeated warnings from Speaker Biman Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP-led Centre of withholding MGNREGA funds for over two years (PTI)

A ruckus broke out in the West Bengal Assembly on Monday after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP-led Centre of withholding MGNREGA funds for over two years. The BJP MLAs protested the remark with slogans against the Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led government, prompting an escalation that led to the suspension of an MLA and a walkout by the Opposition.

Banerjee, speaking during the Question-Answer session in the Assembly, alleged, “The Central government has illegally stopped Bengal’s MGNREGA funds. Even states with ‘double engine governments’ have faced corruption charges, but their funds haven’t been stopped. Only Bengal’s legitimate dues have been withheld. This is a corrupt government.”

She had stood up and made the remark while State Panchayats and Rural Development Minister Pradip Majumder was responding to questions.

As the Chief Minister spoke, BJP MLAs including Shikha Chatterjee and Shankar Ghosh stood up in protest. Banerjee hit back, saying the protesting MLAs “lacked the power” to win even a councillor’s seat. This prompted more sloganeering from the Opposition benches. Tensions further escalated when State Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya addressed the House.

Meanwhile, BJP MLAs attempted to move a motion related to the alleged state school jobs scam, referring to the Supreme Court’s recent decision to cancel the entire panel of the SLST-2016. The Speaker rejected the motion, calling it sub judice, leading to further sloganeering from BJP MLAs. Kumargram MLA Manoj Oraon continued his protest despite repeated warnings from Speaker Biman Banerjee. The Speaker eventually ordered marshals to remove Oraon from the House and later announced his suspension for one day of the monsoon session.

Following Oraon’s suspension, all BJP MLAs walked out of the Assembly in protest.

Atri Mitra

Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain. Experience Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express. Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news. Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions. Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal. Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla. Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent. Education Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting. Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Tags:
Mamamta Banerjee