KOLKATA: After permission for a special train to transport TMC workers to Delhi was denied by the railway authorities, a convoy of 15 buses left Kolkata on Saturday carrying over 2,000 job-card holders under the Centre’s rural employment guarantee scheme to the national capital for a two-day protest to the press release of funds for West Bengal due with Centre.
The ruling TMC in Bengal has accused the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre of withholding Rs 15,000 crore of dues to the state under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and Gramin Awas Yojana.
According to sources, more buses are lined up to leave for Delhi. Initially, the party decided to hire a special train to transport the party workers to Bengal but the railway authorities on Friday informed that they would not be able to provide the rake because of the unavailability of coaches.
Accusing the Centre of not providing the train, TMC’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said, “Nothing can stop the party from holding the protest in the national capital which is going to be successful.”
As the buses will have to cross Uttar Pradesh to reach Delhi, Abhishek said, “TMC will tolerate if party workers travelling in buses are prevented from entering Delhi by the UP administration or being attacked” and added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was “trying to snatch Bengal’s rights to protest.”
CM Mamata Banerjee, who was initially scheduled to attend the protest, will not participate as she has been advised 10 days of rest by doctors over an old knee injury, the party said.
Meanwhile, the ED has summoned Abhishek to turn up at the agency’s office on October 3 over alleged irregularities in recruitment in state-aided primary schools. Challenging the summon, Abhishek said “Stop me if you can” as he would participate in the protest.