Centre diverting Bengal’s funds to its Central Vista project, says Abhishek

Alipurduar/ Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Thursday accused the BJP-led Centre of diverting the funds meant for Bengal to the Central Vista project.

“The BJP government has stalled funds for poor people in Bengal and is using that money to fund the Central Vista project in New Delhi. The BJP government has withheld funds under the MGNREGA scheme as it is yet to accept its defeat in the 2021 Assembly polls. Trinamool Congress is the only party which will fight for your rights,” Banerjee said at a rally at Kumargram.

In 2019, the Central government announced the redevelopment project to give a new identity to the ‘power corridor’ of India. The plan includes the construction of a new Parliament, Prime Minister and Vice-President’s residences along with 10 building blocks that will accommodate all government ministries and departments. Piloted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the plan aims to change the face of the 86-acre area in Lutyens’ Delhi that shows off India’s iconic buildings such as South and North blocks of Central Secretariat, Parliament House, and Rashtrapati Bhavan. The project is estimated to be completed by 2024.

Banerjee while addressing a rally as part of the ‘Trinamool-e Naba-Jowar’ (new wave in Trinamool) mass outreach campaign criticised the BJP MPs from Bengal for being party to the conspiracy in withholding the dues of the state. Incidentally, the BJP had made inroads in North Bengal, especially in the Alipurduar district, by bagging the lone Lok Sabha seat in 2019 and all the five assembly seats in the district. Banerjee once again reminded people that the BJP did nothing for the people after getting so many seats from the region.

“In 2019, you voted for the BJP, and your elected representatives have written to the Centre asking them to stall the funds. The people have voted here as BJP misled you using religion and assured you of the creation of a separate state comprising districts of North Bengal. But their bluff is now out in the open. The entire Bengal from Darjeeling to Kakdwip is united,” Banerjee asserted.

“I will stay 60 days away from my family to set up a people’s Panchayat. The Opposition leaders who are criticising me must stay at least 6 days away from their families. All the Panchayats will be people’s Panchayats in the future,” Banerjee stated.

After spending the night at Madarihat Adhiveshan camp, he will, on Friday, travel to Jalpaiguri. “Post that, I will move to Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, and other districts,” Abhishek added.