New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will begin her two-day protest against the BJP in Kolkata ahead of the panchayat polls in the state as her party will protest against the Centre in Delhi.
Party leader Abhishek Banerjee will also address a rally at Shahid Minar ground to protest against the Centre’s alleged discriminatory behaviour towards Bengal.
Banerjee alleged that the Centre has not released funds for the MGNREGA project for the state and other initiatives of its housing and road departments.
"The Centre has stopped releasing funds for MGNREGA and Indira Awas Yojana (Grameen). Besides, it has also stopped scholarships for OBC students," she said on Tuesday while launching a project to construct 12,000 km of rural roads, reported news agency PTI.
Banerjee launched the 'Pathashree-Rastashree' project ahead of panchayat elections later this year, saying the entire Rs 3.75 thousand crores cost of constructing rural roads will be borne by the state and not the central government.
"The Centre has not released over Rs 7,000 crores pending under the MGNREGA scheme and has not given work to our people despite West Bengal topping the list of states in completing the work under the initiative… We believe jealousy or politics may be the reason behind this," she said, adding, "Hence, in protest against the Centre's discrimination against West Bengal, I, as the chief minister, will stage a sit-in demonstration in front of the statue of Dr B R Ambedkar in Kolkata from March 29 and continue it till the evening of March 30."
Protest in Delhi
Trinamool Congress MPs held a protest near the Ambedkar Statue at the Parliament premises on Wednesday over the issue of ‘Save Democracy, Federalism and Parliament.’
In a significant development, the TMC backed Rahul Gandhi and Congress over his disqualification and joined the Congress meeting on March 27 in the Parliament building.
TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who has been a vocal critic of the BJP, extended her support to Rahul Gandhi.
“In PM Modi’s New India, Opposition leaders have become the prime target of the BJP! While BJP leaders with criminal antecedents are inducted into the cabinet, Opposition leaders are disqualified for their speeches. Today, we have witnessed a new low for our constitutional democracy,” the TMC Supremo had earlier said.
Welcoming TMC’s move to participate in the meeting, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, "I thank everyone who supported this. That is why, I thanked everyone yesterday and I thank them today as well. We welcome anyone who comes forward to protect democracy and Constitution and safeguard the people. We extend heartfelt gratitude to the people who support us."
(With agency inputs)