Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders held a sit-in at Rajghat on Monday to protest against the Centre. Top party leaders, including Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee, convened a meeting of party leaders ahead of the party's two-day protest against the Modi government’s alleged apathy towards West Bengal, in New Delhi
Mamata Banerjee-led party planned a protest against the alleged denial of MGNREGA and housing scheme funds to the Bengal government in the national capital.
Forty-nine buses reach Delhi
Forty-nine busloads of TMC supporters are slated to reach Delhi on Monday. The buses were mobilised by the regional party after the Indian Railways refused to rent out special trains to take the workers to Delhi pleading unavailability of rakes.
Banerjee claimed the denial of trains as well as cancellations of a flight to Delhi were part of an attempt by the ruling BJP party to scuttle its demonstration.
"The agitation will continue till the rightful dues of the people of Bengal are released by the Centre," said the TMC leader.
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee at party meet
The TMC general secretary said that though the state government had sent verified lists of beneficiaries in December 2022, the Centre is yet to make payments.
"If anyone is found guilty of corruption in a 100-day work or housing scheme, let action be taken against them, but why is money to the beneficiaries stopped?" he asked.
The BJP has been asserting that the payments were stopped due to "irregularities".
Banerjee also demanded the arrest of Union Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Giriraj Singh following the deaths of three children in Bankura district in a mud house collapse recently, claiming that the deaths could have been avoided if the family had received due financial aid under the government housing scheme to build brick and mortar housing.
Banerjee claimed that Giriraj Singh has expressed his inability to meet the TMC representatives as he would not be in Delhi, though he is scheduled to meet BJP MPs from Bengal.
(With PTI inputs)
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