Will launch massive stir if Centre doesn’t clear Bengal’s dues in 7 days, says Mamata

Kolkata: Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on Friday gave the Centre a seven-day ultimatum to clear all dues of the state failing which the ruling party in Bengal would launch a massive protest.

Banerjee made these remarks during a programme at Raj Bhavan to celebrate the 75th Republic Day.

“If the central government does not clear the funds, then we (TMC) will initiate a massive protest,” she said.

According to reports, the Bengal government’s figures, the Centre owes the state are — Rs 9,330 crore under the PMAY, Rs 6,900 crore under MGNREGA, Rs 830 crore under National Health Mission, Rs 770 crore under PM Gram Sadak Yojna, Rs 350 crore under the Swachh Bharat Mission, Rs 175 crore for mid Day Meals, as well as money under several other schemes.

Banerjee along with a delegation from TMC had met PM Modi on December 20 and discussed the issue of pending central funds.

After the meeting, she said Modi proposed that officials from the state and Centre can sit together and clear the issues.

Earlier this week (January 23), a team of state government officers visited New Delhi and met their central counterparts.

According to reports, they submitted a detailed report on alleged irregularities in the 100-Day work scheme and the measures taken to address them. The delegation, reportedly, also met Union Ministry of rural development secretary Shailesh Kumar Singh.

Last year, TMC national general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee, led a ‘dharna’ at Rajghat in New Delhi on Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary, demanding the release of funds by the Centre.

During her interaction with media persons at the Raj Bhavan programme on Friday (January 26), Banerjee said: “The central government is depriving us of our dues. The Centre owes us a huge amount of money. The meeting at the officer level has also been held. However, if a conclusion is not reached following the meeting, we will wait for another seven days and then Trinamool will launch a massive movement demanding the clearance of our dues,” Banerjee said.

According to TMC sources, the party is planning to intensify its movement pressing for the state’s dues from February.

When asked about whether she would be meeting Rahul Gandhi as her North Bengal tour that kicks off from Saturday (January 27) will be coinciding with that of Congress’ Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra, Banerjee said:

“If he (Rahul Gandhi) wants to come, he may do so, my North Bengal itinerary has already been announced. If he comes, we can have a cup of tea together,” she said.

Banerjee who attended the tea party convened by the Governor on Friday exchanged pleasantries with the dignitaries present. Representatives from other political parties — Pradip Bhattacharjee (Congress), Tathagata Roy (BJP), Biman Bose CPI(M) were present among others.

Several representatives from the cultural arena, police and bureaucrats were also present at the event held at the Governor House.

Meanwhile, Banerjee assured Kusal Chowdhury of Dakshineswar Temple, who was present at the tea party, that she would not let Metro dismantle the Kalighat Skywalk.

A few days back, the Chief Minister had strongly opposed the proposal of Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) to demolish a portion of the Skywalk near the Dakshineswar Temple for expansion of the viaduct at the far end of Dakshineswar Metro Station.

In a letter to the state Public Works Department’s secretary on November 20, RVNL had asked for relocation of the entry-exit structure of Kalighat Skywalk as it was infringing on the proposed extension of the Metro viaduct to get adequate signal overlap which can allow trains coming to platform directly.