Dissent in BJP over cash freeze Kurseong MLA: People are ultimate sufferers

Kurseong MLA Bishnu Prasad Sharma

Arkamoy Datta Majumdar   |   TT  |   Calcutta   |   31.03.23  : Chief minister Mamata Banerjee ended her 31-hour dharna for the release of pending funds from the Centre on Thursday even as murmurs from the BJP emerged saying despite the "irregularities" that prompted the freeze, the people were ultimately suffering.

Though most BJP leaders remained anonymous while criticising the Centre's decision, one voiced his opinion publicly.

"I know there was corruption in the (central) MGNREGA and Jal Jeevan Mission schemes. I wrote to the Union government for a proper inquiry, including a public hearing. But I cannot boast of the fact that the Centre has stopped the release of funds," Kurseong BJP MLA Bishnu Prasad Sharma told this newspaper.

Sharma was responding to a statement made by Darjeeling BJP MP Raju Bista last Saturday.

Bista, who was touring some tea estates in Mirik subdivision, told journalists that he was instrumental in halting the allocation of funds under the 100-day work scheme in the hills. 

While his statement drew severe flak from Trinamul Congress and Anit Thapa's Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha soon after, the Kurseong MLA's statement came as a blow to the party on Thursday. 

"In the GTA area, around Rs 319 crore provided for the scheme has been misappropriated. It was done by making fake job cards, fake completion certificates, and fake invoices. There was a concentrated effort to build a narrative that I halted the release of the funds. Let me clearly say I did it because of corruption,” the BJP MP said.

His party colleague Sharma said the funds released from the Centre were "people's money" and the lack of it has made the people of Bengal the ultimate sufferers.

The leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, recently said the Centre imposed Article 27 of the Constitution on Bengal wherein the state would not get funds for 100 days' job, housing and road construction schemes in 2023-24.

The Nandigram BJP MLA made these claims on Tuesday while leading a BJP rally in central Calcutta and on Wednesday during a five-hour dharna near Shyambazar.

Many in the BJP claimed the statements made by Adhikari and Bista were drawing criticism against the party and strengthening the case for Trinamul.

"It is one thing to investigate and punish the culprits. But the decision to stop funds has gone against us," a state BJP functionary said. 

Mamata who ended her sit-in on Thursday claimed that the Union government stopped funds for 64 projects and 160 central teams visited Bengal to probe graft charges.

Trinamul has been trying to weave a narrative that the Centre is depriving the state of financial aid it rightfully deserves. The party has accused Adhikari, BJP state chief Sukanta Majumdar and national vice-president Dilip Ghosh of telling the Centre to stop releasing funds for schemes in Bengal.

"Trinamul is telling the people of Bengal that the BJP is depriving them of funds, our leaders are proving the charges," said a BJP leader.

Courtesy & source- The Telegraph