TMC, BJP cross swords over non-clearance of funds

Kolkata: The issue of Centre’s fund blockade for Bengal under various Central government schemes has taken a political shape ahead of the Lok Sabha polls as the TMC and the BJP have now crossed swords with the saffron party deciding to hold a mega rally in the heart of the city in the presence of the deprived beneficiaries of these schemes.

The fight for the rights of the deprived beneficiaries has apparently turned into a political battle for prominence ahead of the Parliamentary elections.

Recently, under the leadership of TMC’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, the party took its protest to Delhi demanding clearance of funds which the Centre had blocked on grounds of alleged corruption by the West Bengal government.

A similar protest was subsequently held in Kolkata outside the Raj Bhavan by Abhishek demanding that Governor C V Ananda Bose convince the Union government for disbursement of the due funds. TMC has accused the Bengal BJP leaders of convincing their “Delhi masters” to continue to withhold funds till the Lok Sabha elections are over.

However, the state BJP unit in their recent core committee meeting, in consultation with their top rung leaders, is learnt to have decided to hold a mega rally in the city in the presence of the deprived beneficiaries from the state to inform them of how members of the ruling party (TMC) have allegedly indulged in misappropriation of funds which forced Centre to

block funds.

This meeting, sources said, is being planned on November 29 at the very spot at Esplanade near the Victoria House where every year the TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee organises the Martyr’s Day event or ‘Shahid Diwas’ to announce her party’s political roadmap. More so, the Union minister of Rural Development, Giriraj Singh, whom the TMC delegation had attempted to meet during the Delhi agitation, may be present at this Kolkata rally. Further, the BJP leaders are prepared to go to any length to ensure that the rally is held at that very spot.

According to TMC, BJP leaders are allegedly continuing to oppress the poor in this country, refusing to shed their ‘zamindari’ attitude. Trinamool has warned that it would wait till October 31 for the Centre to clear the state’s rightful dues and to do justice to the poor who are deprived of wages for the work done.

“We will decide the next course of action on the basis of the instructions by our leaders Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee,” said a party leader.