Kolkata: Former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in West Bengal following women’s protests across the state over alleged delay in disbursement of monthly allowance under the Annapurna Bhandar financial assistance scheme.
In a Facebook live, Banerjee alleged that the state government was slashing the number of beneficiaries on the pretext of ineligibility. She said she would try to make alternative arrangements for those women deprived of the scheme.
“We had launched the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme to make women financially self sufficient. However, the BJP is considering religion and race to provide Annapurna Bhandar money. It is violating its pre poll promise of providing Annapurna Yojana money to all women and is now cheating them,” Banerjee said.
She added, “Women in the state have to walk on the streets crying for the Annapurna Yojana. We used to give Lakshmir Bhandar to about 2 crore 42 lakh mothers and sisters. We even gave money in March before the Assembly elections. However, after the elections, about 75 per cent of women have stopped getting the allowance. If we do a complete survey, we will know the details. There were no conditions imposed at the time of the promise. But now when you go to apply, it is said that you have not fulfilled the eligibility criteria. This is actually a complete fraud.”
Expressing solidarity, Banerjee urged women deprived of the allowance to prepare lists in every neighbourhood with names, addresses and reasons for not receiving the benefit despite eligibility. “We will make some arrangements in the coming days. I am completely with you. Our fight will not stop until the BJP is sent to sannyas,” she said.
Reacting to recent clashes between ABVP and Left students in Jadavpur University, Banerjee accused the BJP of orchestrating vandalism on the campus. “Despite our differences of opinion with some students there, we respect them,” she said.
The Trinamool Congress supremo asserted she would not take political ‘sanyas’ (retirement) and would continue until she forced the BJP into retirement. She said people of West Bengal had understood the true face of the BJP within four months of the change in government.
Banerjee further alleged that the Census exercise was another backdoor attempt to enforce the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and claimed it was implemented without consulting political parties. She warned people to exercise caution before signing Census forms and sharing personal data, saying it may result in personal savings being wiped out.
(IANS)
