Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday began her two-day sit-in demonstration in front of the B R Ambedkar statue at Esplanade here in protest against Central Government’s “apathy” towards the People of Bengal.
The TMC supremo alleged that the Centre had not released funds for the MGNREGA project for the state and other initiatives of its housing and road departments.
According to the chief minister, the total dues of West Bengal from the Centre amounted to more than Rs one lakh crore.
The TMC supremo on Tuesday alleged that the Centre has stopped releasing funds for MGNREGA and Indira Awas Yojana (Grameen). Besides, it has also stopped scholarships for OBC students.
“I will do this (dharna) as the chief minister of Bengal to protest against this dictatorial attempt to malign the state government and deprive our state of its rightful dues,” said the TMC supremo.
As chief minister, this is the third time that Banerjee will be sitting on a dharna.
Meanwhile, Banerjee on Tuesday inaugurated the ‘Pathashree-Rastashree’ project in Singur of Hooghly district ‘Pathashree-Rastashree’ is a flagship project of the West Bengal government to strengthen road infrastructure and enhance connectivity to villages by constructing 12,000 km of roads in 22 districts of the state.
“Launched today, #PathashreeRastashree project will ensure better connectivity through 12,000 kms of roads in 22 districts. With this, we take another step forward in the direction of development. Despite the obstacles, we will fulfill our vision of building Sonar Bangla,” Banerjee in a tweet said.
“Under the project, Bengal will see 7,219 new roads & witness the upgradation of another 1,548. Over 29,475 villages across all gram panchayats will be covered. The scheme also ensures employment generation. The development of Maa Maati Manush remains our priority,” she added.
Meanwhile, her nephew and TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee will address a rally on Wednesday against the “anti-people” policy of the Centre and its “stepmotherly attitude” towards the West Bengal government On the other hand, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar will also lead a dharna on Wednesday to protest against the corruption in Bengal under TMC rule.
