Govt spending Rs 20k cr for central vista, but held back Bengal funds: TMC

The BJP-led government at the Centre was spending Rs 20,000 crore for the central vista project, but held back Rs 7,500 crore due to West Bengal which would have provided work to the poor under MGNREGA, senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee claimed on Saturday.

Addressing a rally at Falakata in Alipurduar, Banerjee said his party will continue to protest against the alleged discrimination of the people of West Bengal by the Centre.

"You may continue to deploy central agencies such as CBI and ED against us, but we will not bow our heads in front of outsiders who are least bothered about the living conditions of the people of Bengal," he said.

Banerjee said that over the last three years, the CBI and ED have been sending notices to him regularly. "But, they could not break my resolve to stand up for the poor of Bengal."

He alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was boasting about being the guarantor against corruption, but he never took action against BJP leaders indulging in such crimes.

"I am asking the people of Alipurduar -- who is the guarantor of your area, 'Didi' or Modi? The one who works for the development or the one who makes false promises before elections?" Banerjee said.

Hitting back, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari of the BJP claimed that the people of West Bengal have started hating the TMC.

"This will be proved in the panchayat polls, the precursor of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Be on guard so that your votes are not looted," he told a rally in Bagda in North 24 Parganas district.