The political sparring between the BJP-led Centre and the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal sharpened after Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Mamata Banerjee administration of siphoning off central funds meant for the poor.
The Trinamool Congress challenged the Centre to make public a white paper on fund allocation to West Bengal since the BJP’s defeat in the 2021 assembly elections.
The party accused the Modi government of blocking funds and politicising welfare schemes.
“Political Tourist @narendramodi claims he wants every poor household in Bengal to have a permanent home. Really? Then why has the Centre spitefully withheld Rs 24,275 crore of Bengal's Awas Yojana funds?” Trinamool posted on its official X handle.
The party also questioned why the Centre had not responded to its repeated demand for transparency on fund releases.
“Why has the Modi government refused our open challenge to release a white paper on fund allocation to Bengal ever since their humiliating defeat in the 2021 Assembly elections?” it wrote.
Citing what it called a prolonged halt in central funding for rural housing, the Trinamool Congress said the state government had stepped in to continue construction under its own schemes.
According to the party, the Mamata Banerjee government spent more than Rs 30,000 crore from the state exchequer to support housing for beneficiaries left out due to the Centre’s fund freeze.
“Why did Smt. @MamataOfficial have to step in and give roofs to 12 lakh families at a cost of Rs14,400 crore under Banglar Bari (scheme)? Why did Bengal's own treasury have to bear Rs 19,700 crore more to house another 16 lakh families under Phase-II of Banglar Bari?” the party asked Modi on social media.
At a rally in Malda, Modi targeted Trinamool over alleged corruption and stalled welfare delivery, calling the state government “cruel and heartless” for “looting” money meant for marginalised communities.
He said benefits sent by the Centre were not reaching the intended beneficiaries because of the ruling party’s actions.
“As the 'pradhan sevak' (primary servant) of this country, I am trying to serve the people of Bengal with utmost honesty and sincerity. I want all homeless people of this state to own their permanent dwelling. I want you to access full benefits of the welfare schemes which the Centre has launched for the poor and backward communities because you have rightful claims to them,” Modi said at the rally.
“But that's not happening. The Trinamool Congress government here is extremely cruel and heartless. The funds dispatched by the Centre for the poor are looted by the TMC workers here. They are enemies of the poor people of Bengal. They don't bother about your difficulties, they are only interested in filling their coffers,” he added.
Modi also pitched for a political shift in the state ahead of the next assembly elections, arguing that “real welfare” would be possible only if the “obstructive Trinamool regime” was replaced by “a pro-people BJP government”.