The TMC leaders during the protest said that the march to the Raj Bhavan has been organized to draw Governor C. V. Ananda Bose’s attention to the plight of the poor people of the state who have been deprived of their rights by the BJP led central Government.
The protest rally is to raise demand of Bengal’s rightful dues of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), said the TMC leaders.
TMC leader Shashi Panja told ANI that protests in Delhi were held with a motive to raise the issue that Bengal was being deprived of the funds since December, 2021, those who had worked did not get their wages (under MGNREGA) which is against the act.
Further speaking about protests in Delhi, Panja said, “Jantar Mantar rally was a huge success but then trains got cancelled which would’ve carried our beneficiaries, internet was stopped while we were around, press was also being obstructed and our ministers and MLAs were badly heckled by Delhi police.”
“We then decided that we will meet the Governor (C. V. Ananda Bose) of the state (West Bengal), but now that we took his appointment he also ran away. Are they all running away from the issue of the deprivation of funds to Bengal. Funds which are due towards the Bengal’s poor who have worked with MNREGA,” said Panja.
“The questions are still unanswered that is why this protest will continue and it will show the entire nation that if this kind of government (BJP) stays on then this government will deprive the rest of the country too,” she added.
Reacting to the demand of the BJP of a CBI inquiry into the matter by BJP, the TMC leader said, “Why now, why after two years of stopping the scheme, why was CBI investigation not ordered then and there. Every day they (BJP) are changing the goalpost.”
Another TMC minister Babu Supriyo told ANI that the people of Bengal are with TMC and people over here at the protest are not just TMC workers but the common public of Bengal who has been deprived of their wages under MGNREGA.
Babul Supriyo further said “If Giriraj Singh (Minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department) would have had any concrete proof then he would’ve faced us instead of running away, he is running from the truth and he will get a befitting reply for this in 2024 polls.”
Earlier, on Tuesday, TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee termed the manhandling of the members of Parliament including women by Delhi Police who were protesting at Krishi Bhawan demanding the release of MGNREGA funds, as a “black day for Indian democracy” and called for a campaign ‘Raj Bhavan Abhiyan’ in Kolkata on October 5 against the atrocities.
Abhishek Banerjee, Derek O’Brien and others including Mahua Moitra were detained by the Delhi Police after they staged a dharna inside Krishi Bhawan. The leaders were released by the police on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday, nearly three hours after being detained. (ANI)
