TMC snubs BJP after flight carrying over 100 TMC leaders was cancelled

The airline set to carry over 100 AITC leaders from Bengal was cancelled mysteriously hours before it was supposed to leave for Delhi. 

MP, 1 Oct 2023, Kolkata: After ED’s summons to Trinamool’s national general secretary, denial of permission to organise protests and special trains to Delhi, now, a flight that was to carry more than 100 Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders has been cancelled. 

Trinamool has termed it as an “anti-Bengal vendetta” of the BJP. “As a part of the coordinated attack set to create obstacles for “Dilli Cholo” protest by Trinamool, the airline set to carry over 100 AITC leaders from Bengal was cancelled mysteriously hours before it was supposed to leave for Delhi. 

This comes after a special train slated to carry thousands of people from West Bengal to Delhi for the protest was also cancelled by the Railways at the behest of the BJP on Friday,” reads a press statement issued by Trinamool on Saturday evening. 

Trinamool MP Derek O’Brien posted on X: “First, they abruptly cancel special train services from Kol to Del to prevent those who were to travel to participate in protests on Oct 2 & 3, demanding 10s of 1000s of crores owed to Bengal by BJP Union govt. Now a flight gets cancelled! Try as you might, we WILL TAKE YOU ON.” 

Lok Sabha MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar criticised BJP’s attempts to stop the protest and said: “It is astonishing how a flight has been cancelled, which had more than 100 leaders from Barasat travelling to the programme called by AITC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee for and October 2 and 3 in Delhi. 

I have never seen in my life that due to a technical glitch a whole flight was cancelled. This is just beyond me.” 

The cancellation of flight for “operational reasons” is only the latest attack on Trinamool’s Dilli Cholo programme, she added. 

Abhishek earlier lashed out at the Narendra Modi government on Saturday saying if around 20 odd people have committed scams why 2.5 crore people will be deprived? He was referring to the Centre’s non-clearance of dues under MGNREGS and Awas Yojana in the state. 

“They are claiming corruption in MGNREGA. Who has denied taking action against the corrupt individuals? But for 20, 200 or 2000 cases of corruption, is it fair to halt the funds of 2.5 crore people? How is this fair and just?” Banerjee asked. 

He said that the Modi government would not be able to stop the “people’s protest” by cancelling a special train or not giving permission to hold rallies in places where the Trinamool had applied for the permission. 

The people of Bengal will snatch their rightful dues through peaceful protest. He said that dark days are ahead for the Modi government. Banerjee asserted that if any of the job card holders who are going to Delhi in buses demanding the release of the dues are attacked in any BJP-ruled states, the people of Bengal will give a befitting reply through democratic means. 

“On October 2, our MPs, MLAs and Ministers will stage a peaceful sit-in protest at Rajghat in New Delhi. On October 3, we will go to Jantar Mantar with our job card holders. In Bengal, Gram Panchayat pradhans & anchal presidents will organise “Gandhi Gram Sabha” in all Gram Panchayats on October 2. 

The next day, there will be a live telecast of the demonstration at Delhi’s jantar mantar,” Banerjee said. He further added: “I am here today to raise my voice against the continuous deprivation and harassment that the people of Bengal have been subjected to for the past few years. 

Our people have become victims of BJP’s vendetta politics. After facing a humiliating defeat in the 2021 Assembly Elections and multiple polls held after that in Bengal, BJP has been targeting our people by forcefully blocking the Central funds allocated for various welfare schemes such as MGNREGA Awas Yojana, and Gramin Sadak Yojana,” Banerjee said adding: “Since December 2021, BJP stopped our rightful dues, wherein they owe us nearly Rs 7,000 crore under MGNREGA and Rs 8,200 crore under Awas Yojana. 

Under this, nearly Rs 3,000 crore meant solely for the wages of our MGNREGA labourers have been withheld. Around 2.65 lakh job card holders are solely dependent on the MGNREGA scheme for their lives and livelihoods. 

Despite putting in their hard work under the 100 Days of Work, over 20 lakh workers have still not received their rightful wages for two years.” 

“We wanted to book the Ram Leela Maidan for four days to make temporary stay arrangements for the people who wanted to come here for protest but we were denied that as well. 

We were denied our right to stage a demonstration. We wrote to Union Minister of Rural Development Giriraj Singh on the 16th of this month seeking an appointment to meet him. 

He responded last night by saying that he couldn’t meet because of his busy schedule. We have accepted that but then, his MoS should meet us. 

The meeting has to be done and the funds have to be released by Modi Babu,” Banerjee stated. He also mentioned: “If they (BJP) think that cancelling trains or sending summons through ED can suppress Trinamool Congress’s movement, they are wrong. Trinamool is bound to fulfil promises made to the people.

I will request everyone who joined me virtually to strengthen their fight. The funds are not the hereditary property of the Centre but the hard-earned money of our labourers and farmers.” 

“You have bought aircraft worth Rs 8,000 crore with those funds and built the new Parliament building. You have built a new house for the Vice President and Prime Minister with those funds. 

However, 11.36 lakh eligible beneficiaries are deprived of Awas Yojana funds. The Prime Minister’s house can be built but the common people cannot get a roof over their heads,” he added further. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/tmc-snubs-bjp-after-flight-carrying-over-100-tmc-leaders-was-cancelled-534938