West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was "promoting secessionist groups" in the state after "destroying" Kashmir and Manipur using divisive politics. Addressing a panchayat poll rally at Dubrajpur in Birbhum district virually, the TMC supremo said the BJP was instigating certain groups in north and south Bengal to divide the state for its political gains, reported news agency PTI.
Banerjee further said she would not allow division of the state and defeat such forces.
"The BJP has destroyed Kashmir and Manipur through its divisive politics and is now after West Bengal. They support and instigate divisive forces and secessionist groups in North Bengal and Jangal Mahal (in the south) to divide the state. We will not allow division of the state and defeat such forces," PTI quoted Mamata as saying.
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The Bengal CM is addressing panchayat poll rallies virtually following her injury during an emergency chopper landing last week near Siliguri.
She also said that the policies of the BJP have pushed Manipur into turmoil, with the ethnic strife claiming more than 100 lives in recent months.
The Trinamool Congres chief also said that the BJP government had stopped funds under the MGNREGA scheme for 11.36 lakh beneficiaries of the state.
"The BJP-led Centre has halted funds under Awas Yojana and 100-day work scheme," Banerjee was quoted as saying by PTI. She said the funds do not belong to the BJP or the Centre.
“It is our money that the Union government deducts as taxes and is supposed to return to us. But they have stopped funds for Bengal,” Banerjee was quoted as saying by the agency.
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005 (MGNREGA) aims to enhance the livelihood security of households in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year.
Banerjee had conducted a two-day sit-in demonstration in March against the Centre's alleged move of not releasing funds to the state for MGNREGA and other welfare schemes.
Her comments have come ahead of the three-tier rural elections scheduled to take place on July 8 in the state. At least 10 people have died and several were left injured in widespread violence in many parts of the state ahead of the polls.