Kolkata: With the BJP accusing Trinamool Congress (TMC) of lying that the Election Commission (EC) did not give clearance to the state government for releasing funds to provide relief and rehabilitation to tornado victims in North Bengal, the latter has hit back alleging that the saffron brigade is misleading people since what was allowed by the election body was mere release of ex-gratia amount which is less than adequate for building new houses for the victims.
Accusing the TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee and national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee of lying to people on April 13 and 12, respectively, state BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari shared a document and wrote on X: “...The Election Commission of India, on the 9th of April, 2024, granted an exemption for payment of Ex Gratia & House Building Grant (H.B. Grant) from Model Code of Conduct (MCC). This message was conveyed to the West Bengal Government on the 9th of April, 2024, so that the People of Mainaguri & Jalpaiguri who lost their homes in the devastating tornado could receive the House Building Grant as soon as possible.
Thus there is no embargo on the release of funds for Disaster Management & Civil Defence Development, a large chunk of which is provided by the Central Govt through NDRF…” Abhishek refuted this and said that what is being talked about is the ex-gratia amount at existing rates which is Rs 5000 for partial damage and Rs 20000 for complete damage.
He told the media: “This amount is in no way close to our demand of allowing the state government to release Rs 1,20,000. The ex-gratia amount is less than adequate for building new houses. This is a self-goal by the BJP”.
Trinamool leader Shashi Panja said: “EC had only allowed repair of the damaged houses in the tornado and not funds for building new houses.
Suvendu tried to mislead the people on social media by distorting facts. It is maybe out of fear that BJP will lose in Jalpaiguri.” TMC wrote on X: “…The release of EX-GRATIA” that @ECISVEEP permitted entails an amount of assistance ranging between Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 20,000 This is nowhere in the ballpark of the amount of assistance required for the 1,600 plus shelterless families to reconstruct their houses…”