‘Will ensure deprived beneficiaries reach Delhi in 2 days for protest’
Kolkata: With the Railways refusing to provide a special train to ferry deprived beneficiaries from Bengal to Delhi for protests against the Centre’s fund blockade, Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee assured on Friday late evening that his party will be making alternative arrangements to take them to the national capital.
Addressing the media at Netaji Indoor Stadium, Banerjee said he would ensure that these poor job card holders reach Delhi in two days.
He also warned that the people of Bengal will give a befitting reply to the BJP if the deprived beneficiaries are attacked in any of the BJP-ruled states during their journey.
“The Centre is showing disrespect to the poor people of Bengal who have been denied their dues since December 2021,” Banerjee remarked.
He said that the arrival of 2,500-3,000 job card holders in Kolkata to catch the special train to Delhi gave jitters to the BJP leaders at the Centre.
“This is why the train was cancelled a day before. We applied for a special train (20 bogies) in September and deposited the money. On Friday, we were told that the special train would not be provided. Earlier, we were not permitted to camp at Ram Leela Maidan and hold protests outside Krishi Bhawan, Lodhi Road and Raj Ghat. Why is the Narendra Modi government so scared? Union minister Giriraj Singh’s office informed us on Friday that the minister will not be in Delhi on October 3,” Abhishek said.
Earlier in the day, Banerjee said he will not answer the Enforcement Directorate’s summons on October 3 and will instead join the protest rally in Delhi. According to sources, TMC may take legal steps against the Central probe agency for “harassing” Banerjee.
“The fight against the deprivation of WB and its rightful dues shall persist regardless of the obstacles. No force on Earth can hinder my dedication to fight for the people of WB and their fundamental rights. I’ll be in Delhi joining the protest on Oct 2nd & 3rd. STOP ME IF U CAN!” Abhishek posted on X.
He earlier took a dig at the Centre after ED summoned him on the day he was supposed to be leading the protest in the national capital. He said that this reveals the Centre has been “truly perturbED, rattlED and scarED!”
TMC is slated to hold a two-day protest in Delhi beginning October 2 against the Centre. According to officials, Rs 8,141.17 crore is pending under the Awas Yojana scheme whereas nearly Rs 7,000 crore is due under the MGNREGA scheme, of which Rs 2,876.28 crore constitutes the wage component.
Trinamool leaders have criticised the “anti-Bengal move” to deprive the labourers of their wages, which is against the tenets of the MGNREGA Act. Senior party leaders like Shashi Panja and Chandrima Bhattacharya visited Netaji Indoor Stadium and inspected the arrangements done for the deprived beneficiaries who would head to Delhi.
Chadrima Bhattacharya said the Centre is scared which is why the ED summoned Banerjee on a day he is supposed to lead a protest in Delhi. “They could have summoned him on any other day. It reveals that they are scared,” she remarked.
TMC leader Shashi Panja said that the protest was being organized in Bengal earlier and now will hit the national capital. “People are not paid their rightful dues. We have seen that it has not touched the PM. He spends a lot of money for central Vista and deprives the people of Bengal.”
Meanwhile, TMC shared that the turnout of deprived beneficiaries increased to more than 5000 with more people gathering at Netaji Indoor Stadium. The party has arranged for 50 buses but given the additional gathering, more arrangements are being made.
Buses are slated to depart from Netaji Indoor Stadium from 8.30 am onwards. For all buses, a necessary medical kit has also been prepared.
Many of the TMC leaders and ministers are travelling by Rajdhani on Saturday. Shashi Panja and Chandrima Bhattacharya will take the 4 pm flight to Delhi.
