Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, on the sidelines of a GST event here on Thursday, issued an outline of funds sent to Bengal under the Narendra Modi regime apparently to contest Mamata Banerjee and her party’s allegations of “step-motherly treatment” meted out to Bengal.
Reacting to it, the Trinamool Congress accused the finance minister of misdirection and obfuscation.
Asserting she did not want to say much to contradict the claims made repeatedly since 2021 by Team Mamata, Sitharaman said: “All rightfully and not in any way suggesting that we are doing a kind act of kindness, but I also want to confirm that there’s nothing being denied.”
Sitharaman said this after sharing data in a 10-page document, titled “Efforts for West Bengal”, that she handed to journalists at the event.
The document sought to show that the money coming from the BJP-led Centre to Trinamool-led Bengal by way of schemes and central devolution of taxes — a major bone of contention in the ongoing third term of Mamata as chief minister.
The document underscored ₹1.07 lakh crore budgeted as tax devolution for the ongoing fiscal, of which ₹47,526.63 crore was released to Bengal as of this month. Additionally, ₹37,158 crore has been budgeted as grants-in-aid for the state, the
document mentioned.
It went on to stress various infrastructure initiatives taken by the Modi government for Bengal, especially railways (including Metro services) and roads, besides progress made here in the implementation of various central flagship schemes.
Withholding of central dues to Bengal under various schemes, grants, and assistance “to the tune of ₹1.93 lakh crore” is a major issue for Mamata. Many a pitched political battle has been fought in Calcutta and New Delhi between her party and the saffron regime on this issue.
Mamata has frequently accuses the ruling saffron ecosystem of trying to asphyxiate Bengal through this “economic blockade”, which she attributes to the BJP’s revenge following its defeat in the 2021 Assembly elections.
Going through Sitharaman’s document, Trinamool said there was nothing new or notable in it.
“Diversionary tactic, which they specialise in. The spin doctors of the BJP — and Nirmala Sitharaman happens to be of preeminence in this regard — are excellent at diverting attention from the real issues, the actual numbers,” said the party’s Rajya Sabha member Ritabrata Banerjee in the evening.
Sources said Trinamool was likely to have an elaborate news meet on Friday for a point-by-point rebuttal.
“Money that should have been disbursed within 15 days, according to constitutional norms and the federal structure of this nation, remains blocked by them for years. First let them release that, then we can talk about anything else — the ₹1.93 lakh crore…. There are dues under MGNREGA, housing for the poor, rural road infrastructure… not alms, not charity, funds legitimately owed to the people of Bengal by the Centre,” Banerjee said.
He said instead of doing that, this sadistic approach of trying to resort to misdirection and obfuscation to weave a narrative, which Bengal’s people “see right through”, served “nobody”, not even the saffron camp.
“Let the election results come out, everyone will see how Bengal once again gives a fitting rebuff to these spin doctors of the BJP,” he added.
The BJP said that the finance minister proved that Trinamool’s “rant” against the Centre was “baseless”.
“Today’s address by Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman reflects how Prime Minister Narendra Modi prioritises federal structures. It proves that the central government has never acted in a step-motherly manner against the Bengal state government. Today, the people of Bengal have completely understood that Trinamool’s narrative was nothing but a bluff...,” said BJP Bengal president Samik Bhattacharya.