Kolkata, April 5 Senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday accused the Narendra Modi government of withholding the state's dues for the past five years, aiming to make the poor people of West Bengal go hungry in order to vote the TMC to power in successive assembly elections.
Addressing an election rally at Raina in Purba Bardhaman district in support of the party's candidate, Mandira Dolui, the TMC national general secretary said that if he was not telling the truth, the BJP should provide proof and put him in jail.
"The Centre has not released more than Rs 1 lakh crore for the state's projects. They have done this to make the poor people of West Bengal go hungry, as they had voted the TMC to power in successive assembly elections," Banerjee said.
However, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee directly addressed the challenge by implementing schemes like 'Karmashree' for rural jobs and 'Banglar Bari' for housing and drinking water supply projects using the state's own resources, said the Diamond Harbour MP, the de facto number two in the TMC, which seeks to come to power for the fourth consecutive term.
"The TMC wants a smile on your face, while Modi wants to see tears in your eyes as you had rejected the BJP in successive polls. Give the anti-Bengal party a befitting reply to such a conspiracy to make you go hungry," he said.
Listing the pro-people initiatives by the Mamata Banerjee government, Abhishek Banerjee said that 2.4 crore women in Bengal are receiving money every month under the 'Lakshmir Bhandar' scheme, and the project will continue.
"In two years, 32 lakh people have been given houses under the Banglar Bari scheme, following the blocking of funds under the Centre's PM Awas Yojana to our state. In the next 5 years, our government will ensure that all underprivileged persons in the state have a roof over their head," he said.
Banerjee said, "I challenge the BJP to put me in jail if I lie. The BJP is not ready to come for a public debate face-to-face at any place of their choice. I have been repeatedly saying this, but they are scared to face the truth," he said.
Banerjee accused the BJP of not doing enough to facilitate the export of 'Gobindo Bhog', a unique type of rice grown in Purba Bardhaman district, although the grain has demand outside.
On the LPG crisis, he charged the Centre with worsening the situation, forcing the common man to spend Rs 2500-3000 to buy one cylinder – already priced at Rs 1,000 – and "making tall claims about mitigating the situation".
"From Rs 400 in 2014, their policy led to the escalation of the LPG price to Rs 1,000. But Modi-ji has no concern. The petrol price has soared from Rs 50 a litre to Rs 100 and will skyrocket after the assembly polls. Mark my words," he said.
The TMC leader assured the people that after coming to power for the fourth time, the government will set up cold storages to preserve potatoes and other agri-products in the agrarian belt.
