Abhishek demands ‘white paper’ from FM Sitharaman on fund allocation to Bengal post-2021 Assembly polls

New Delhi/Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday strongly advocated for a white paper from the Union Finance minister (FM) Nirmala Sitharaman stating how much funds were released for Bengal under Awas Yojana and MGNREGA schemes ever since the BJP lost 2021 Assembly elections in the state.

He once again challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and FM Sitharaman to publish the white paper to support their claims that funds are being given to Bengal.

“I had asked a simple question for Nirmala Sitharaman — after BJP lost the 2021 Assembly elections, how much funds were released for Awas and MGNREGA schemes? 29 Trinamool Congress MPs were in the House today. We thought the FM might furnish a white paper but she was unable to do so,” Banerjee said.

Accusing the FM of telling lies and misleading the Parliament, Banerjee said: “She has been systematically lying in both Houses and has misled the people of the country as well as Bengal. She hasn’t been able to answer one question properly.”

“During her Budget reply, which lasted over 100 minutes, the Hon’ble Finance Minister @nsitharaman made hundreds of FALSE CLAIMS but failed to mention Bengal’s deprivation even once. The Union Govt claimed in Parliament that no state is being “denied any money.” But even 138 Days & 3319+ hours later, @BJP4INDIA leadership has failed to provide a WHITE PAPER on MGNREGA & AWAS YOJANA since their 2021 defeat in WB. The stress of being on BORROWED TIME is becoming more evident with every such cover-up!” Banerjee said in his post on X.

Banerjee further stated: “If I have the White Paper, I will not hesitate to furnish it. They are not able to show such a paper in the public domain because they don’t have the facts. As of today, they have withheld Rs 1.72 lakh crore from Bengal.”

Reiterating his demand for a white paper in Parliament, Banerjee asserted, “Kaagaz jhooth nahin bolta” (Paper does not lie). “The day I gave my speech in the House I had stated that I could place my facts in the House and the Minister could present counter-facts. A minister should speak on the basis of facts and documents in Lok Sabha. This is why I had asked her to publish a White Paper...Kaagaz jhooth nahin bolta.”

On February 8, Sitharaman presented a “white paper” on the Indian economy in Parliament. This document compared the economic governance records of the Congress-led and BJP-led governments over the past decade. In response, the Congress Party released a “black paper” that critically analyzed the governance of the Narendra Modi government to date.

Calling for facts and transparency, Banerjee emphasized the need for ministers to base their speeches on factual data and documents in the Lower House. He countered Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s claims made during the Budget presentation, where she alleged that the Bengal government failed to utilize the funds allocated to the state over the past decade.

The Diamond Harbour MP accused the Union Government of withholding Rs 1.72 lakh crore from West Bengal, challenging them to produce a white paper to verify the claims. He also highlighted the alleged ill-treatment of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the recent Niti Aayog meeting in the national capital, where she was reportedly allowed only two minutes to speak, compared to the 20 minutes given to the CMs of Goa, Andhra Pradesh, and Assam. He condemned this as an injustice to the state.

Banerjee criticized the Union Government for neglecting Bengal in its budget speech, suggesting that funds might be diverted to projects like bridge construction in Bihar, which he claimed were prone to collapse. He accused the government of suppressing the poor and the media.

Banerjee urged the 12 BJP MPs from Bengal to demand a white paper from the central government on the funds released to West Bengal for the Awas Yojana and MGNREGA.

Trinamool Congress in a post on X said: “Our Nat’l GS Shri @abhishekaitc has once again reiterated his OPEN CHALLENGE to PM @narendramodi and FM @nsitharaman: PRODUCE WHITE PAPER to prove the allocation of a single Paisa to Bengal under MGNREGA & Awas Yojana since @BJP4India’s humiliating defeat in 2021.”