'How can 'expiry PM' allocate funds for Fani-affected areas?'

Gopiballavpur/Bishnupur: Questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi's authority to disburse funds for the cyclone-hit areas, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee accused him of trying to bypass the Chief Minister, without caring much about the country's federal structure. She further added that the state government will bear the expenditure to repair the houses that have been badly or partially affected due to cyclone Fani.

Addressing a mammoth rally at Gopiballavpur sub-division of Jhargram on Monday, she said: "I was in Kharagpur monitoring the cyclone. How can he bypass the Chief Minister and hold meetings with the Chief Secretary and other officials of the state government who work under the CM. His expiry date is over and now he cannot disburse funds for the affected areas also. This is another drama. I could have met him had he visited the state to see the affected areas," she said. "In the past five years, he never visited the flood-affected areas in Bengal. The state government will give money to rebuild the damaged houses. We do not want any help from the Centre. He is politicising the whole issue," she remarked.

Banerjee further said: "When the state is reeling under scorching heat and sultry weather conditions and people are suffering enormously, Modi comes in private aircraft to address meetings where he tells loads of lies."

The Chief Minister added that Modi has deprived Bengal tremendously in the past five years out of sheer jealousy. "The state government had agreed to the Centre's proposal of 74 percent equity in Tajpur port and the state government would retain the remaining 26 percent. We had agreed to the proposal and requested the Centre to construct a bridge at Gangasagar. The matter is still pending and it has been three years already. Because of the BJP's delay, the MoU for the second biggest colliery in Asia at Deocha Pachami in Birbhum could not be signed till date. Though the Bengal Assembly had unanimously passed the proposal to change the name of West Bengal to Bangla, the Centre has not cleared the proposal yet. BJP hates Bengal because TMC is the only party that raises its voice against the Centre."

Banerjee maintained that the country wants to know what Narendra Modi has done in the past five years. "His acche din has become a nightmare. More than 100 people have died just because they had to stand in long queues outside banks for hours to withdraw money after Modi banned the high-value notes. Twelve thousand farmers have committed suicide and people did not get jobs though Modi had assured that 2 crore youths will get jobs per year. He lied to the people about crediting Rs 15 lakh in their bank accounts," she added.

Addressing a gathering at Bishnupur, she said the state government has taken comprehensive measures to address the drinking water scarcity in Bankura. "The Centre did not give us any money for the flood control programmes that we have taken up."

She urged the people to serve Modi a "right lesson" and cast their votes in support of TMC candidates Birbaha Soren Tudu in Jhargram and Shyamal Santra in Bishnupur seats respectively.