Kolkata: Asserting that electors of the country will teach a lesson to the BJP in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday claimed that the term of the saffron party-led NDA government at the Centre will expire soon. Addressing a rally in Kultali in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district in support of Trinamool Congress candidate from Jaynagar Pratima Mandal, Banerjee blamed the BJP for "making the lives of poor people miserable".
"A right lesson has to be taught to the BJP which always makes empty promises. The saffron party has stopped making payments to West Bengal under various central schemes like 100-day work and housing programmes," he said. Banerjee, also the nephew of Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, said the "central government every year takes away Rs 1.20 lakh crore from West Bengal and the state owes Rs 1.65 lakh crore from the Centre on account of various schemes".
He also claimed that though the Centre is "not making payments" under various schemes, the West Bengal government is "meeting up all these monetary dues of the poor from its exchequer". The TMC has accused the BJP-led NDA government of withholding dues to Bengal under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and Gramin Awas Yojana.
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005 aims at enhancing the livelihood security of households in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year. The time has come to secure the basic rights of the people, Banerjee said.
"The state government, through various social welfare schemes like the 'Laskhmir Bhandar', is making efforts to financially help the people of West Bengal," he said. 'Laskhmir Bhandar' is a popular welfare scheme of the TMC government, which provides a monthly allowance of Rs 1,000 for general-category women and Rs 1,200 for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe women in the state.
The Trinamool Congress MP also alleged that under the present dispensation at the Centre, the "poor are becoming poorer and the rich getting richer". "The term of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre will expire soon, which will be evident once the Lok Sabha election results are out on June 4. The INDIA bloc will form the government and the Trinamool Congress will play a decisive role," he claimed.
He also accused the saffron camp of orchestrating a conspiracy to defame the women of Sandeshkhali by "paying them to make false rape allegations". "Also see, how Tamluk BJP candidate Abhijit Gangopadhay had made obnoxious comments against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The BJP should be thrown away into the Bay of Bengal", the TMC leader said at the rally.
A purported video in which BJP nominee and former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay was heard wondering about "the amount at which Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is getting sold," triggered a row with the TMC labelling it as the saffron party's guarantee of disrespecting women, while the BJP raised doubts about the clip's authenticity. PTI, however, couldn't verify the authenticity of the video.
Banerjee said that the BJP always delves into "divisive politics" and is "not bothered about social and economic uplift of the poor". Later speaking at a roadshow at Diamond Harbour from where he is contesting in the Lok Sabha polls, Banerjee said, "Central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate had tormented my family by summoning in fabricated cases against us".
Banerjee, who is also the sitting MP from the constituency, said the time has come now to give a reply in a befitting manner. The Trinamool Congress leader said the "saffron party will have to be immersed democratically so that development of the state continues unabated". The BJP seeks votes in the "name religion and always believed in divisive politics", he alleged.
