‘BJP shying away from challenge to produce the white paper’

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary and party’s candidate for Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency, Abhishek Banerjee on Thursday said that the Bengal is still waiting for the response of the Centre in releasing a white paper on the disbursement of funds under Awas Yojana and MGNREGA for the past 3 years.

Banerjee had thrown an open challenge to the Centre, its representatives or any BJP leaders to come up with documents in support of the BJP’s claim that dues have been paid to Bengal. He had also challenged the Narendra Modi government to publish a ‘white paper’ and also to engage in a debate with him. But he did not get any response from the BJP or the Centre yet.

In a post on X, Banerjee said: “It’s been nearly TWO WEEKS, clocking close to 350 HOURS, the @BJP4India continues to shy away from accepting my CHALLENGE and RELEASING WHITE PAPER on AWAS PLUS and MGNREGA since their 2021 defeat in WB.” On several occasions in the recent past, Banerjee had highlighted that the BJP-led government at the Centre stopped clearing dues of Bengal under Awas Yojana and MGNREGA since the BJP was defeated in the 2021 Assembly elections in Bengal. “BENGAL AWAITS, SEEKING NOTHING BUT ABSOLUTE ACCOUNTABILITY!” Banerjee further posted on X. Trinamool Congress also highlighted how the BJP has so far failed to provide a candidate for Diamond Harbour where Banerjee is contesting from. “In what can only be perceived as an admission of defeat, @BJP4India has yet to field an MP candidate from Diamond Harbour. Despite over 350 hours having elapsed, no BJP Karyakarta has mustered the courage to take up Shri @abhishekaitc’s challenge of producing White Paper,” Trinamool Congress said on its X handle.

Trinamool Congress further attacked the BJP for spreading violence saying: “But there’s one thing they excel at: VIOLENCE! Unable to compete democratically, the BJP is dusting off their old playbook from the Panchayat elections. Just yesterday, their henchmen attempted to murder one of our party workers in Diamond Harbour! If this is BJP’s idea of winning from Diamond Harbour, they need to wake up from their delusions.” Incidentally, a Trinamool Congress party worker from Diamond Harbour, Kaushik Jana was brutally assaulted by the BJP-backed goons, the party alleged. Jana was severely injured.