‘BJP punishing the electorates by blocking Bengal’s rightful dues’

Amitava Banerjee | MP | 26 Mar 2023 | Darjeeling: Darjeeling’s BJP MP Raju Bista’s statement of being the main man behind the stopping of the MGNREGA (100 days work) funds in the Hills and threats to stop funds of different Union Government schemes including “Har Ghar Jal” in the Darjeeling Hills and Kalimpong has invited flak from different political camps. 

Dubbing it an expose by Bista of BJP’s conspiracy, the TMC has stated that by blocking Bengal’s rightful dues, BJP is punishing the electorate. Bista, talking to media persons at Putung Tea Estate in Mirik had stated that he has categorically asked the Union government to stop MGNREGA 100 days work funds to the Hills of Darjeeling and Kalimpong. 

“I have asked the government to stop allotments for Har Ghar Jal Central scheme also. There is a lot of malpractice and fraud revolving around these schemes in the Hills. There are more than 1 lakh 59 thousand fake job cards in the Hills with Rs 319 crore scam. 10 per cent of the population is minting money from these schemes, so they have to be punished,” Bista had declared on Saturday. 

The MP’s statement has not gone down well with the political camps in the Hills dubbing it as a conspiracy to economically punish the Hills. “This is how Raju Bista is paying back his constituency for his landslide victory. He has betrayed the public,” retorted Ramesh Kadaia, TMC Youth leader from the Darjeeling Hills. 

The TMC has stated BJP MP Raju Bista’s comments have exposed the reason why the Centre has stopped only Bengal’s funds for MGNREGA this year. It is because the BJP leaders in Bengal know that they have no chance at any elections if they don’t engage in these dirty tricks “BJP is practising a politics of deprivation and we condemn this in the strongest terms. 

BJP MP Raju Bista boasted about stopping the wages of our labourers who had toiled under the 100 Days Work scheme and he will do the same for the Jal Jeevan Mission Scheme as well. 

The Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj admitted that there were no major irregularities in the implementation of the MGNREGA scheme. Yet, the funds for the 2023-24 cycle were blocked by the Centre without any reason?” questioned LB Rai, Chairman, TMC, Darjeeling district committee (Hills.) TMC has stated that in one year, 71 central teams have visited Bengal to monitor the implementation of several schemes. West Bengal government has submitted countless action-taken reports. 

Mamata Banerjee herself has written to PM and has even met him for the same. “BJP leaders are so shameless that they have even tried to block mid-day meal funds for the children of Bengal raising false complaints. 

The Bengal BJP leaders have done all this in the garb of raising complaints against the so-called irregularities in the scheme,” stated Papia Ghosh, TMC, president, Darjeeling District Committee (plains.) 

“Propaganda is being run by the BJP alleging of corruption in the GTA just to mask their own failures to live upto commitments. They have even labeled the Pattas (land documents) distributed to tea garden workers as fake. It is nothing but a diversion tactics. The Hills will give a befitting answer to this deprivation” stated Anit Thapa, president, Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha.

The TMC has alleged that PM Modi and his government have not paid Bengal Rs 1.15 lakh crore. Over Rs 8,200 crore is pending under Bangla Awas Yojana and Rs 7,500 crore is pending under the 100 Days Work Scheme. 

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced a two-day dharna on this on March 29-30 to protest against this step-motherly attitude. By blocking Bengal’s rightful dues. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/bjp-punishing-the-electorates-by-blocking-bengals-rightful-dues-512991