‘ED raids vendetta politics, attempt to divert attention from dharna over Bengal’s dues’
Under PM Modi, country has slid in various parameters: TMC
With the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raiding several locations in at least three districts of Bengal on Tuesday, Trinamool Congress (TMC) alleged that the raids were a direct consequence of the BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari’s meeting with his party’s top rung leaders on Monday in Delhi.
The party also denounced the coordinated ED searches in “vendetta politics” and a “desperate manoeuvre” by the BJP to divert attention from the TMC’s ongoing dharna demanding clearance of the state’s dues.
Senior TMC leader Shashi Panja asserted: “This is an attempt to divert public and media’s attention from the TMC’s ongoing dharna demanding clearance of state’s dues. This is a clear example of vendetta politics.”
The raids were conducted as part of the ED’s probe into alleged corruption related to schemes under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The Centre has already blocked funds of the state citing corruption which has been opposed by the ruling party of the state, TMC.
Panja further stated: “Since this morning, ED has been conducting search operations in West Bengal related to MGNREGA and fake job cards. Just understand the chronology. Yesterday, Suvendu Adhikari met various leaders in Delhi, including the Home Minister and Finance Minister. However, when questioned on the details of the meeting, he did not divulge any details except saying that Bengal would see
the outcome soon. This clearly proves, yet again, that the BJP gives directives to ED for political bidding.”
Referring to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s recent promise that she will clear the funds if the Centre does not, Panja said: “The truth is BJP lost its mind after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that the 21 lakh MGNREGA workers – who worked under the central scheme but were being deprived – will be getting this money from the state government.”
“The protest for our rights
will continue. CM will give this money to deprived workers from the state exchequer for now but the Central government must release Bengal’s dues. This is why the protests will continue till our rightful due of Rs 7,000 crore is released,” she assured.
Panja also pointed out that in BJP-ruled states such as Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh there are far greater fake job cards, 1.23 lakh and 3.65 lakh respectively, but Bengal’s figures stood at 5000 and yet Bengal’s funds were frozen and not of the other two states.