Abhishek: Release of Bengal's dues by Centre is paramount, regardless of raids by central agencies

Diamond Harbour (WB), Feb 20 (PTI) Senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee reaffirmed his commitment to continue fighting for the release of West Bengal's financial dues and asserted that the party would not be deterred by “intimidating raids” by central agencies in the fight for the rightful funds.

Banerjee, TMC's national general secretary, said the party would continue its campaign against the Centre's decision to withhold the dues.

"We will put an end to the zamindari culture of the BJP. They keep sending central teams and conducting raids. We do not care about the raids, but they need to release the rightful funds of the people," he said while speaking at a programme in his Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency on Monday.

Abhishek, who is also the nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has been summoned multiple times by central agencies in connection with investigations into various corruption cases.

He said the central agencies can conduct more than 10 raids every day, but the funds of the people need to be released.

"People will answer in the language the Centre deserves if their funds are not released. It is an established law that the Centre is bound to release these funds within 15 days. Just because they have been defeated in Bengal, the funds are being withheld," he said.

Mamata Banerjee has repeatedly criticised the BJP-led central government, accusing it of implementing a "financial blockade" by withholding the state's dues totaling Rs 1.18 lakh crore.

"The upcoming elections will be based on the rights of the people. If people cast their votes on the basis of their rights, no prime minister, chief minister, president, governor or ministers has the power to deprive them of their rights. This is the essence and heritage of democracy," he said.

The CM had recently announced to clear the Centre's dues, impacting MGNREGA workers and recipients of the Awas Yojana in West Bengal.

"I had previously committed to releasing funds for 21 lakh MGNREGA workers by February 21, but this will be delayed by a few days. The current count of affected workers has risen to 24.5 lakh. Therefore, the state administration will begin issuing payments starting March 1," she had recently said.

Additionally, the CM has said if the central government fails to disburse funds for the 11 lakh Awas Yojana beneficiaries by April, "the state will take over and begin distributing funds from May 1." PTI