Mamata to hold two-day dharna to protest Centre’s ‘non-disbursal’ of funds to Bengal

“West Bengal is the only state which has not received any funds for the 100- days work scheme (MGNREGA) this year. The same is the case with Awas Yojana and Gramin Sadak Yojana. We have taken up the work of repairing and building 12,000 roads in rural areas and the state government will pay for it,” said Banerjee.

“I met Prime Minister Narendra Modi around six months ago to discuss the matters pertaining to 100 days of work, roads, Awas Yojana, and asked for the disbursal of Rs 1.15 lakh crore pending under various heads. I have also spoken to Union Home Minister Amit Shah when he came here for the meeting and have written several letters to the central government regarding this,” she said.

Alleging that the CBI and ED directors were acting like “local BJP leaders”, the TMC chief said, “This is a deliberate attempt to stop the funds. They are sending central teams to Bengal. And if they can’t find anything, they are sending central investigative agencies. ED and CBI directors are acting like local BJP leaders on their (BJP) instructions. The country cannot run like this.”

She said, “Rs 7,000 crore is pending under the 100 days work scheme. They have decided to withhold its funds this year as well. I will hold a two-day protest near the Ambedkar statue (in Delhi) on March 29-30 as the Chief Minister of Bengal to protest against this dictatorial attempt to malign the Bengal government and deprive our state of its rightful due.”

Banerjee said following her Delhi sit-in, the TMC will hold similar demonstrations across all blocks and districts of Bengal.

She also accused the Modi government of allegedly working only for Adani and Mehul Choksi. “Country is being run by only a few people. Banks have become penniless. They are not giving money for 100 days of work but the rich people have collected a lot of funds. LIC and SBI became zero. The BJP government is working for Adani and Mehul,” she charged.

‘Meeting with Patnaik may not be politically significant’

During her Odisha visit, Banerjee will also meet CM and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik. “But it is a personal and courtesy call and has nothing to do with (forming a) united Opposition. Regional parties are always strong. The Centre forms policies but the state has to implement them. There is a question about the Centre-state relationship. We may discuss these,” she said.

Banerjee arrived in Bhubaneswar in the afternoon and proceeded to Puri by road where she will stay for two days. Known to be a devotee of Lord Jagannath, she will offer puja at the Shree Jagannath Temple on Wednesday afternoon.

During her stay in the holy town, Banerjee will also visit some sites identified for construction of a Bengal government guest house for tourists from the neighbouring state visiting Puri.

Before boarding the return flight to Kolkata Thursday, she will call on Patnaik at Naveen Niwas, the Odisha CM’s residence in Bhubaneswar.

On her meeting with Patnaik, Banerjee, after landing at the Biju Patnaik International Airport, said, “Naveenji is our senior leader, I will meet him.”

The TMC supremo had met Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav last Friday in Kolkata. Both sides announced that they will remain equidistant from both the BJP and the Congress and will continue to reach out to other regional parties.

Banerjee’s meeting with Patnaik does not seem to have any major political agenda as the BJD is unlikely to be part of any national alliance before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Although the meeting is being keenly watched in national political circles, BJD sources said it could be just a “courtesy call” and may not be “politically significant”.

“BJD is a regional party and more concerned about development of Odisha and welfare of its people. As stated by our leader on several occasions, the party does not have any national ambition. Hence, there is no question of being part of any alliance at the national level,” said a senior BJD leader, requesting anonymity.

Stating that Bengal CM is in Odisha on a “personal trip”, the BJD leader downplayed the meeting of the two CMs, saying “BJD does not want to be part of any third or any other front… not at least before 2024 polls.”

Banerjee, who had also met Patnaik in April 2017 at the latter’s residence after returning from Puri, had then said there was no discussion on politics and that “politics is a 365-day business and a continuous process”.

Despite BJD’s policy of equidistance from both the BJP and the Congress, the party, with 12 MPs in the Lok Sabha and 9 in the Rajya Sabha, has extended support to the Modi government on several occasions – while passing crucial legislation, during the Presidential election or on other national issues.

The Puri district administration has made elaborate arrangement for ensuring a “smooth darshan” for Banerjee at the 12th century temple.

Meanwhile, Bengal BJP leader Rahul Sinha criticised Banerjee’s Delhi sit-in, charging that “She is remembering Ambedkar after neglecting members of the Scheduled Caste communities for several years. This is nothing but another futile attempt to divert people’s attention from the scams in which her party leaders are facing probes and being sent to jail”.