West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has issued a stern ultimatum, declaring that she will stage a dharna (protest) starting February 2 if the BJP-led central government fails to clear the state’s outstanding dues amounting to a staggering ₹7,000 crore. Banerjee made the announcement during an official function in Malda, urging party workers and those affected by the non-payment to join the protest at the BR Ambedkar statue in Kolkata’s Red Road area.
“I have given them an ultimatum till February 1 to clear all dues of the state, failing which I will stage a dharna from February 2. If the dues are not cleared, I know how to get it through a movement,” warned Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Banerjee accused the Centre of neglecting West Bengal’s claims for funds related to crucial central schemes, including the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awas Yojana (PMGAY). She emphasized that despite 156 central teams visiting the state to assess the implementation of these schemes, the dues remain unpaid.
In response, the BJP, citing a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report, alleged a massive scam of around ₹2 lakh crore in the state. State BJP president Sukanta Majumdar held a press conference in New Delhi, accusing the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government of treating public money as its own.
“Her government has tried to loot public money everywhere. The CAG report is a slap on her government’s face and exposes it,” claimed Majumdar.
According to the BJP, the CAG report highlighted the non-submission of over 2.4 lakh utilization certificates required for completed projects within a fixed time frame by the state government.
When questioned about the allegations, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee responded by challenging the members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to disclose their accumulated wealth while accusing them of depriving the poor.
As the political tension escalates, the fate of the pending funds and the ensuing protest hang in the balance, adding another chapter to the ongoing political saga in West Bengal.
Sources By Agencies
