Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of taking a series of anti-Bengal measures, including blocking the state’s dues under key social welfare schemes such as MGNREGS, Awas Yojana and Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM). The party claimed that the latest move, the denial of Railway projects to the state, was part of the BJP’s broader strategy to stall development initiatives in Bengal.
The ruling party in the state also hit out at Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu for making what it described as “false claims” during PM Modi’s rally in Dum Dum. At the rally, Bittu alleged that no Trinamool MP had demanded Railway projects in their constituencies— a statement the TMC termed “a blatant lie.”
In response, the TMC shared a video on social media showing clips of its MPs writing to the Centre and urging for various Railway projects, countering the Union minister’s claim. “@BJP4India has made lying into a fine art. Their Union MoS for Railways @RavneetBittu claimed that none of our MPs ever demanded Railway projects for their constituencies. Here’s the reality: from just ONE Parliamentary Constituency, dozens of project requests have been repeatedly placed before the Ministry of Railways,” Trinamool Congress posted on X.
It further stated that the ‘Bangla-Birodhi’ Central government was trying to stall projects to throttle Bengal’s aspirations. BJP’s modus operandi would be “deny, delay and steal credit”, Trinamool claimed.
“Yet, the Bangla-Birodhi Modi Govt sat on them; stonewalling development, throttling Bengal’s aspirations, and deliberately stalling projects just to spite the people of this State. This is their modus operandi: DENY, DELAY, and STEAL CREDIT,” it added.
Trinamool national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee recently reminded that the Centre owes the state Rs 1,94,000 crore in funds for implementing its various schemes, and he also demanded that the Modi government should come up with white paper showing how much funds they have actually given to the state. Incidentally, PM Modi from his Dum Dum rally accused Trinamool of looting funds which are diverted to the state under various schemes. Trinamool refuted Modi’s claims point-by-point.
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has time and again raised her voice against the Centre’s deprivation. Abhishek, on the other hand, recently said the Centre has withheld Rs 2,525 crore under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in 2024-25 while it was supposed to provide Rs 5,050 crore. He also claimed that the Centre gave Rs 60,000 crore to Uttar Pradesh in the last 5 years under JJM, while Bengal received only Rs 20,000 crore in the past 5 years.
TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien, in February this year, raised a point of order in Parliament and questioned if the Centre owed Rs 7,500 crore to West Bengal under the MGNREGS and over Rs 8,000 crore for Awas Yojana.
When social schemes are being halted, another assault on Bengali “asmita”, migrant labourers from Bengal have been facing serious torture in BJP-ruled states. Bengal Chief Minister, however, has given a clear message that her commitment is to protect Bengal from perceived attacks on its language and culture.