TMC to observe Satyagraha at Raj Ghat today afternoon

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) will observe Satyagraha at Raj Ghat at 1:30 pm on Monday and take the deprived beneficiaries reaching Delhi from Bengal to see how the Narendra Modi government built the Central Vista allegedly by depriving them of their wages.

A meeting comprising all TMC leaders who flew to Delhi was convened by the party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee at the residence of MP Saugata Roy in the national capital on Sunday evening.

Sources said the meeting concerned discussion on the arrangements for the October 2 event at Raj Ghat where the party would be observing Satyagraha as an act of protest against Centre’s fund blockade. It was decided that at 1:30 pm TMC leaders will gather at Raj Ghat to pay respect to Mahatma Gandhi. Then at 3:30 pm, about 15 party leaders will hold another meeting at the residence of MP Sudip Bandopadhyay to discuss the schedule for the October 3 protest. Abhishek is scheduled to hold a press conference after this meeting.

Addressing his party MPs and MLAs, sources informed that Abhishek said that during ‘Nabajowar’ campaign in the run up to rural elections in Bengal, he realised that people are badly hit after Centre blocked funds for the state. He is learnt to have instructed his party leaders that the protestors reaching Delhi from Bengal need to be taken to witness the Central Vista made by the Narendra Modi government at the cost of their money.

Banerjee said they need to see how despite a Parliament building already existing, the Central government deprived the poor of their wages and built a new Parliament. The responsibility to take them to see the Central Vista has been given to youth and student wing leaders of the party.

Abhishek also discussed how protests could be arranged on October 3 at Jantar Mantar since the Delhi Police have only given an oral permission and not a written one. Section 144 has been imposed in that area. The party plans to take the protest to Krishi Bhavan from Jantar Mantar. Abhishek flew to Delhi on Sunday evening with the kin of deceased individuals who died in mud wall collapse in Bishnupur. He told the media at the Kolkata airport that he is carrying about 100 complaint letters pertaining to alleged corruption in central government schemes in BJP-ruled states and yet funds there were not stopped.

He alleged that the state government had already submitted the certificates for utilisation of funds and sent the list of beneficiaries to the Centre last year and yet no funds were released. “They (Centre) collect Rs 1 lakh crore from Bengal through taxes but the state is deprived of Rs 1.15 lakh crore of rightful funds. If they think that they can suppress Trinamool, then they are wrong. We will emerge with more strength. Despite using the Delhi Police, cancelling trains and flights, nothing can stop our movement,” he remarked.