Kolkata: Even after joining the all-party meeting, BJP is not raising the issue to seek Amphan relief for Bengal from the Centre.
The all-party meeting over the present COVID-19 situation and Amphan was held on June 24 in which leaders of 11 political parties including the
TMC, BJP, CPI(M) and Congress were present that decided to prepare a resolution to be sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking financial assistance.
According to TMC, BJP is now trying to come out of the all-party resolution as they have sent back the draft along with a new set of proposals. They have decided not to give their consent unless their proposals are addressed.
TMC Secretary General Partha Chatterjee, head of the all-party committee, had sent a draft of the resolution to BJP leaders on June 25. The same day, they sent it back to him along with their proposals.
The BJP wants Super Cyclone Amphan to be declared as a calamity of unprecedented nature as per the Disaster Management Act of 2005, instead of a national calamity.
"Regarding the total quantum of damage, the state government has assessed a loss to a tune of Rs 1 lakh crore due to cyclone Amphan. Of course, the central team, that has already visited the Amphan-affected sites, will be submitting its own opinion. But what is wrong in it to put forward the assessment of the state government," said TMC.
It was also mentioned in the draft that each daily-wage earner should be provided with a direct benefit of Rs 10,000. BJP now says that it has to be mentioned as to which category of workers should be incorporated in it. According to political analysts, the all-party resolution gains importance as Bengal is suffering a huge financial crisis due to non-payment of genuine dues of Rs 53,000 crore and the Centre has not even cleared the GST compensation.
When contacted, BJP leader Jay Prakash Majumdar said: "The Prime Minister had visited the state within 48 hours after the cyclone and took necessary steps to ensure support. We want a message expressing gratitude in the resolution along with five other points that we have mentioned in our reply to Chatterjee." A senior TMC leader said these were petty issues that were being put forth just to avoid joining other political parties to raise the issue to claim Bengal's relief.