New Delhi: Taking a dig at former Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on being made the Vice-President, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday said he was “rewarded” by BJP-led Centre for “opposing” the West Bengal government time and again during his governorship of the state, news agency ANI reported.
Addressing the media, Banerjee, as quoted by ANI said, “The previous Governor of West Bengal (Jagdeep Dhankhar) has been rewarded for continuously opposing the West Bengal government. As a reward he was made the Vice President of India.”
Meanwhile, the TMC protest outside Raj Bhavan in Kolkata against the Centre over West Bengal’s outstanding MGNREGA dues entered fourth day on Sunday. The protesters refused to budge and asserted that their agitation will continue till Governor CV Ananda Bose meets them at the protest site.
Earlier on Saturday, a three-member TMC delegation met Bose in Darjeeling and urged him to take up the MGNREGA issue with the Centre. They also asked him to meet the protesters, who have staged indefinite sit-in outside Raj Bhavan.
Speaking about his meeting, Governor Bose, as quoted by ANI said, “Three representatives (TMC leaders) came...They presented me with their grievances which they wanted me to take up with the (central) government. I promised them that I would certainly take it to the authorities concerned...That is my duty as governor.”
Taking to X, Abhishek Banerjee posted, “The 3rd Day of our Dharna concluded with 2 moral victories. While the Zamindars were forced to leave their ivory towers in Delhi & come to Kolkata, the Governor finally agreed to meet our delegation at the earliest. I am confident Bengal will win this battle for its people!”
Meanwhile, Union minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, who visited Kolkata earlier this week, and Abhishek Banerjee, engaged in a war of words, with both sides accusing each other of spreading “lies” over a TMC delegation's meeting with the minister in New Delhi on the MGNREGA issue, PTI reported.
Refuting the TMC's allegation that she refused to meet the party leaders in Delhi, Jyoti said the former was engaging in “political theatrics” and said she was ready for talks.
The TMC, on the other hand, accused the Union Minister of “spreading lies” over the meeting at the national capital and said the party was ready to meet her at Raj Bhavan to discuss the MGNREGA issue.