TMC accuses Union Min Niranjan Jyoti of spreading lies, fanning BJP propaganda

Following the remarks of Union minister of state (MoS) for Panchayat Raj, Niranjan Jyoti that TMC members had staged a dharna at her office for “political gains”, the latter has rebutted accusing the minister of spreading lies and fanning BJP propaganda.

Niranjan Jyoti was in the city on Wednesday. She alleged that the delegation of TMC MPs which had visited her office last year to demand the MGNREGA funds owed to Bengal, was there to stage a dharna for political gains. She said that the Centre has no intention to stop funds to the state and is concerned for the well-being of the people. She also alleged that the delegation led by Abhishek Banerjee did not have in their possession any documents and hence wanted to avoid a meeting.

Reacting to this allegation, TMC leader Mahua Moitra said: “I am very surprised to see that the MoS for Panchayat Raj Ministry Sadhviji who yet again is lying continuously about what happened when we went to meet her in Delhi. A delegation of MPs and ministers from the government of West Bengal went with a prior appointment to her office to meet her. Every single one of us was security checked about five times. Every single name on the list was ticked off by the security agencies before we entered. We went there and waited for over three hours. She left without meeting us. Time and again we sent her messages that we are here for the meeting so please meet us. She refused.”

Mahua added: “We had taken families of the victims who were not being paid. Even they were security checked. It was very clear that the appointment was for them only. So, for her to turn around and say that we entered her office and didn’t meet her is ludicrous... She left via the back gate. To hold back the money for Bengal is shameful. To lie about what happened at the meeting and to not meet the representatives of a state government and MPs after giving them a prior appointment is even more shameful.”

She remarked: “It is Sadhviji’s guilty conscience that is causing her again and again to come back to Bengal to sort of justify

what she did...”

Bengal Cabinet minister Birbaha Hansda said she is shocked to see how the Union minister is lying every day. She condemned the “lies” of Jyoti and challenged her to have a face-to-face conversation with the members of the delegation.