MGNREGA dues: Bengal BJP to hold protest rally in Kolkata on Dec 20

Kolkata, Dec 16 (IANS) West Bengal BJP will organise a major protest demonstration on the streets of Kolkata against the irregularities in implementation of the 100-day job scheme under MGNREGA in the state on December 20.

Incidentally, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on the same day to discuss about the pending central dues under the MGNREGA scheme.

According to Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, the allegations of Trinamool Congress accusing the Union government of their legitimate dues are baseless, since fund flow has been stopped because of the rampant corruption in implementation of the scheme.

“Not a single penny will be provided unless and until the corrupt persons land up in jail. Funds will be provided only after the bad practice of the state government to project the centrally-sponsored scheme as the state’s own scheme stops. Actually, the chief minister is feeling the pinch of central agency actions against rampant corruption. So she is floating the theory of unpaid money,” the Leader of the Opposition said.

He also rubbished the “setting” theory floated by a section of the opposition behind the scheduled PM-CM meeting in New Delhi.

“The Prime Minister gave time to the chief minister for the meeting since he believes in the opposition space. The meeting in New Delhi will not be between Narendra Modi and Mamata Banerjee. The meeting will be between the Prime Minister of the country and the chief minister of a state. The Prime Minister believes in protecting the federal democratic structure of the country,” Adhikari said.