Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday hit out at the Centre, alleging that they are bulldozing the country’s federal structure. Mamata also questioned where the money in the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM-Cares)fund has gone to in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Where has all the money of the PM Cares Fund gone? Does anyone know about the future of these funds? Where have the lakhs of crores of money gone? Why was no audit done? The Centre is lecturing us. What have they given us to combat the COVID pandemic?" asked Mamata.
The West Bengal Chief Minister also added, “Because I am doing good work there is jealousy. You put agencies behind us and try to malign the government. I can throw open a challenge and say, Bengal is not Gujarat, Bengal is not Uttar Pradesh, Bengal is Bengal, remember that. Bengal is more real than other states and is more truthful to its people."
She said "Outsiders use the help of goons and take out notices and say they will take us to jail. This cannot happen in any independent country.”
Mamata also accused the BJP-led Centre of bulldozing states and attempting to break the federal set up.
The Chief Minister was speaking at a press conference in Kolkata. The West Bengal government on Tuesday implemented the Duare Sarkar scheme, which a redressal forum for people. Around 11 state government-run schemes will be made available to eligible people at camps to be set up for Duare Sarkar or the government at doorsteps programme.
When questioned about implementing Central schemes in the state, Mamata said, “Why should I implement the schemes that are already running by the state government?”
“If you take 80% from state governments and give 20% and become a king, this does not happen. I don’t take one rupee from farmers. I give all of 100 rupees. So which project is better, where you have to give the masses 80% or if the masses get 100% without paying anything. I am giving 10crore sasta sasti benefits.
The contest is heating up ahead of the 2021 Assembly elections and the Trinamool Congress(TMC) is hitting out at the BJP to send out a strong message, that the ruling party in the state, will not be bulldozed by outsiders.
