TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee at the protest for due MNREGA funds from Centre. (File: X)
Jyoti, the Union Minister of State for Rural Development, asserted that the central government has consistently disbursed West Bengal’s MGNREGA dues over nine years
The indefinite sit-in demonstration outside Raj Bhavan by TMC activists led by senior leader Abhishek Banerjee entered the fourth day on Sunday with agitators asserting their stir will continue till Governor C V Ananda Bose meets them at the protest site.
A three-member Trinamool Congress delegation met Bose in Darjeeling on Saturday and urged him to take up with the Centre the issue of the state’s outstanding MGNREGA dues.
They also requested him to meet the protesters outside Raj Bhavan.
“The 3rd Day of our Dharna concluded with 2 moral victories. While the Zamindars were forced to leave their ivory towers in Delhi & come to Kolkata, the Governor finally agreed to meet our delegation at the earliest. I am confident Bengal will win this battle for its people!” Banerjee posted on X, formerly Twitter.
The MGNREGA dues issue kept West Bengal’s political scene simmering on Saturday.
Union minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, who visited Kolkata the previous day, and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee have accused each other of spreading falsehood over a TMC delegation’s scheduled meeting with the central minister in New Delhi over the MGNREGA dues.
Jyoti, the Union Minister of State for Rural Development, asserted that the central government has consistently disbursed West Bengal’s MGNREGA dues over nine years, but also highlighted discrepancies in the utilisation of these funds in certain districts of the state.
Dismissing the TMC’s allegation that she refused to meet the West Bengal ruling party’s delegation in Delhi, she accused the party of engaging in political theatrics and asserted she was ready for discussions.
Her remarks drew a sharp retort from the TMC MP, who slammed Jyoti for allegedly spreading falsehood about the meeting in Delhi and asserted that the party is ready to meet her at Raj Bhavan to discuss the issue. Banerjee has remained at the protest site for the last three days.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)
