Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday hit out at the Centre for refusing to clear the State’s dues, particularly on account of the 100 days’ work and Prime Minister’s rural housing schemes.
Resuming office at Nabanna after about eight weeks Banerjee said, her party would wait till November 16 and “if they do not clear our State’s dues for the payment of MNREGA wages then we will launch a bigger movement.”
Banerjee said that the Centre had withheld Rs 7,000 crore on account of the MNREGA wages.
“We had agreed on the issue of GST because the scheme looked simple where the Centre would collect the taxes, give the States’ share and keep the rest … but here the Centre is not giving back our lawful dues while taking away the GST from our State … the money belongs to the people of Bengal and no one can stop that … they have stopped funds for MNREGA, rural housing with the intention to harass us … but after Kali Puja and Diwali we will assemble at the Netaji Indoor Stadium and decide on a bigger movement if the Centre does not clear our dues immediately.”
Alleging that the Centre was harassing all the opposition ruled States she said “we fight it out because this fight for our right and we will fight it… we will fight against the non-cooperation going on in what should have ideally have been a cooperative federalism.”
Attacking the media for allowing it to be subjugated by the BJP Government Banerjee said, “the media has sold itself to a particular party … they are beating drums for a particular party which has gone on an arresting spree just for political vendetta … I observed how the media was peddling negative stories (apparently about the arrest of minister Jyoti Priya Mallick) and skipping the Durga Puja carnival which is a big achievement for the State.”
Banerjee was however appreciative of the Election Commission of India saying she was happy to see that the ECI had not struck down the acronym INDIA which stands for the inclusive opposition alliance.
“I am happy with the ECI’s role in this regard … they have not rejected the name INDIA … anyone who is a citizen of this country can use this name as a proud Indian.”