‘Delhi Chalo’ call on Gandhi Jayanti: ‘Will hold massive stir demanding release of Bengal’s funds’

Kolkata: In a bid to get back the funds which the Centre allegedly owes Bengal, Trinamool Congress’s (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said the party will officially launch a mass protest in Delhi outside Krishi Bhavan on October 2 while urging block-level leaders to gherao the houses of BJP leaders in their areas on August 5.

Addressing a sea of supporters from the dais, Abhishek said that the time has come for Bengal to start a mass protest to retrieve the funds that are being “illegally” withheld by the Centre.

While campaigning for the Panchayat polls, Abhishek had repeatedly urged people to prepare themselves for a mass protest. He had said that the protest needs to be taken to the streets of Delhi where demands will be raised outside the Krishi Bhavan.

Abhishek recalled to the mass on Friday that the total amount of pending dues is Rs 1.15 lakh crore. He said that for the past two years, “the anti-poor BJP government at the Centre has stopped the funds for the 100 days of work scheme amounting to Rs 7,500-8,000 crore”. He said that since people had assured him during the Jana Sanyog Yatra that they were ready to join him in the protest, he sought permission from party chairperson Mamata Banerjee to give the ‘Delhi Chalo’ call on Gandhi Jayanti.

Talking about what convinced the ruling party of taking the protests to the streets of Delhi, he said: “We had three options – appeal and ask them (Centre) to release funds belonging to the people of Bengal; beg them for people’s money; or go to Delhi and force the Centre to give us our rightful due.”

Further, Banerjee said that before the protest is taken to the offices of the Central BJP leaders, it will begin outside the houses of state BJP leaders.

He said: “I urge block-level leaders in all 341 Blocks to prepare a list of BJP leaders in their area and gherao their houses for eight hours on August 5 in a peaceful manner. If there are any elderly in the family, let them go. But BJP leaders should not be allowed to leave or enter their homes between 10 am to 6 pm as a part of this ‘Gono Gherao.’”

He added: “On August 5, their houses will be gheraoed. On October 2, the offices of their masters in Delhi will be gheraoed. This is the power of the people of Bengal. We will only bow our heads in front of the Almighty and not the outsiders of Delhi.” However, he said the gherao must be done in a peaceful manner.

TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee said that the protest should be held ensuring there is 100 metres distance from the houses of the BJP leaders. She warned against indulging in any kind of violence and stated that it would be a symbolic protest.