TMC and BJP face-off intensifies over the release of Central Funds, Giriraj calls for a CBI probe; Abhishek says ‘arrest Giriraj first’

Giriraj Singh the Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj has called for a CBI probe into the alleged money laundering and lapses in the West Bengal government’s handling of the 100 days of work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act on Monday. Hitting back at the Union Minister Trinamool Congress National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee has said that the CBI should arrest Giriraj Singh first; he has the blood of the people of Bengal on his hands.

“Time has come to handover the investigation of the misappropriation of the MGNREGA funds by the West Bengal Government to the CBI”, said Giriraj Singh alleging that the Trinamool Congress government has looted the funds that were meant for the poor people of Bengal. “They behave like the Urban Naxalites, they believe in depriving the poor people of West Bengal. The West Bengal government started looting the poor in the name of MGNREGA. In MGNREGA till March 2022, we did the work of giving Rs 54150 crore while in UPA only Rs 14000 crore was received. We never stopped funds in any scheme”’ added the Union Minister.

Lashing out at Giriraj Singh and the BJP government, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee has said, “Giriraj Singh and the Bengal BJP leaders are responsible for these deaths. Bengal BJP leaders wrote letters asking the Centre to block Bengal's funds. Today, they have blood on their hands. An investigation should be conducted, and everyone, including Giriraj Singh, should be held accountable. The protest will not last just two days but will continue until the funds are released. This is a fight for the common people, and even if a thousand Narendra Modis come, they cannot stop the protest.” 3 children in Bengal’s Bakura died on Saturday after a mud wall collapsed on them, Abhishek Banerjee said that Giriraj Singh and the BJP government are to blame for these deaths as they have blocked Bengal’s funds, depriving the poor people of their ‘rightful dues.’

The Trinamool Congress led by National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee has reached the national capital to place their demands in front of the Central Government and protest against the alleged ‘step-brotherly’ behavior meted out by the BJP Government to the people of Bengal. After massive chaos of over 48 hours, where trains ferrying the thousands of aggrieved people of Bengal to Delhi were canceled, following which, the flights too were canceled, the TMC has said that this has been done out of the Center’s nervousness.

After paying respects to Mahatma Gandhi at Delhi’s Rajghat on his birth anniversary, the Trinamool Congress led by Abhishek Banerjee staged a protest demonstration, donning black armbands and holding placards demanding the release of funds stopped by the central government. However, they were forcefully removed from the Rajghat premises by the police and the forces. Expressing his displeasure over the whole incident, Abhishek Banerjee said, “They severely mistreated us, they even manhandled female protestors and journalists.” A delegation from the TMC is set to meet Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Giriraj Singh tomorrow to place the issue of non-release of dues under MGNREGA before him.