“Stop fooling poor people of Bengal”: BJP leader Agnimitra Paul on TMC’s MGNREGA protest

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], October 2 (ANI): Criticising the Trinamool Congress (TMC) for its decision to organize a protest in Delhi on October 2 regarding the MGNREGA program, West Bengal BJP leader Agnimitra Paul on Sunday accused the TMC of deceiving the citizens and alleged that Mamata Banerjee’s government had engaged in corruption by not disbursing the MGNREGA funds intended for jobholders.

Speaking to ANI, Agnimitra Paul said,” They have accepted that corruption has happened and they had to pay compensation.Has a single person been arrested because of these 100 days of work corruption that has happened? Has Mamata Banerjee arrested a single person? No, they haven’t. Stop fooling people of Bengal. I request to the people to file FIR against TMC leaders who have stolen your 100 days of work.”

Furthermore, Paul, who serves as the West Bengal BJP General Secretary, pointed out that among non-BJP ruled states, only the West Bengal government is complaining about not receiving payments under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)

“There are so many other non-BJP states in India. Is any state complaining that they haven’t received 100 days’ payment? Everybody is getting the payment. Then why is West Bengal shouting?”

Earlier Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Sushmita Dev hit out at the central government over the refusal to provide special trains to MGNREGA job cardholders from West Bengal to reach Delhi and said that they were ready for the fight.

Thousands of MGNREGA job cardholders from West Bengal have left for the national capital, in several buses arranged by Trinamool Congress (TMC), for a protest on October 2-3. 

The protesters, under the banner of ‘Dilli Cholo: A fight for our rights!’, will raise their voices for the payment of alleged arrears for 100 days of work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme.

The TMC is scheduled to hold a mega protest at Delhi’s Raj Ghat on October 2 and 3, against the central government for delay in release of funds to West Bengal.

TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee said that the fight against the neglect of West Bengal by the Centre will continue and he will be joining the protests in Delhi on Oct 2.