'Malicious Propaganda For Political Gain': Mamata's Counter Attack On PM Modi Over PM-KISAN Scheme

TMC supremo said that the Prime Minister showed his apparent concern for the farmers through a televised address, instead of proactively working to resolve their issues.

Mamata Banerjee addresses a press conference at the state secretariat Nabanna in Kolkata. (Image: PTI)

Kolkata: Hours after Narendra Modi launched full-throttle attack on Mamata Banerjee for allegedly blocking Centre’s Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme to reach the farmers of West Bengal, the later accused the Prime Minister of trying to mislead the people with half-truth and distorted facts over the same. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo said that the Prime Minister showed his apparent concern for the farmers through a televised address, instead of proactively working to resolve their issues. "While he (PM Modi) publicly claimed his intention to help farmers of WB (West Bengal) through his PM Kisan Yojana and alleges non-cooperation of the state government, the fact is that he is trying to mislead the people with half-truth and distorted facts," Banerjee said in a statement. Earlier in the day, PM Modi lashed out at the West Bengal Chief Minister during a televised address, accusing her government of "destroying" the state and depriving its over 70 lakh farmers of benefits from the Centre's flagship PM-KISAN scheme under which Rs 6,000 per year is given to each farmer. Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Central government of indulging in "malicious propaganda for political gains," the Chief Minister said that her government is ready to cooperate with the Centre for welfare of farmers. Maintaining that she has written two letters to the Union agriculture minister and has even spoken to him two days ago, Banerjee said "they are refusing to cooperate and are instead indulging in malicious propaganda for political gains". The chief minister said that when the state is implementing so many schemes with the central government, the question of not cooperating on a scheme that is benefiting farmers seems absurd. Banerjee said that she wrote to the Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar earlier week, reiterating the state's request to route the PM-KISAN funds through the West Bengal government for disbursal among the farmers. Meanwhile, BJP today claimed that the cash is not being sent by the Centre to the West Bengal government for disbursement among farmers due to the 'cut money' culture of the ruling Trinamool Congress. State BJP president Dilip Ghosh told reporters here that TMC is seeking the cash money that is being disbursed by the Centre to the farmers be sent to the state government for subsequent disbursements. Reacting to PM Modi's speech, several protesting union leaders said it appeared aimed at creating a divide among farmers by misleading them and urged for a concrete action plan to provide a legal guarantee on MSP and on other demands. PM Modi's address today followed the release of over Rs 18,000 crore fund to more than nine crore farmer families under the 'Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi' (PM-KISAN). With the push of a button, Modi enabled the transfer of money at an event which the ruling BJP has made into a mega exercise to reach out to farmers by having its leaders interact with the farming community at more than 19,000 venues across the country and also listen to the prime minister's address. Under the PM-KISAN scheme, a financial benefit of Rs 6,000 per year is provided to small and marginal farmers, payable in three equal installments of Rs 2,000 each. The fund is transferred directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.