Trinamool Congress (TMC) General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee has expressed concerns about the treatment of his party’s leaders during a recent protest in New Delhi. The protest aimed to demand funds for employment and housing schemes in West Bengal. Videos shared on social media showed scuffles between TMC leaders and the police during the protest. Banerjee was distressed by these events, especially as they occurred on Gandhi Jayanti, a day symbolizing peace and non-violence.
Banerjee emphasized that their protest was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s principles of satyagraha. He stated that TMC lawmakers were fighting for West Bengal’s rights and called on those in power to acknowledge that their rule was coming to an end.
The videos shared by the TMC MP showed instances of police pushing party members and a physical altercation between a woman protester and the police. However, the Delhi Police stated that TMC leaders were asked not to occupy a particular area due to the significance of the day and the large number of visitors. According to the police, the TMC leaders did not comply with repeated requests, disrupting public access to the area.
Abhishek Banerjee, a prominent figure leading the TMC’s protests against the central government, accused the police of using force against female protesters and inciting violence. He believed that the actions of the police reflected fear on the part of the BJP. Banerjee added that if the people felt that funds were being withheld and a change of government was necessary, it could happen.
The TMC organized a protest in New Delhi to highlight the suspension of funds by the central government to West Bengal. Banerjee criticized Union Minister Anurag Thakur for claiming to have allocated funds while questioning the amount taken from West Bengal over the years.
Banerjee’s decision to stage this protest was influenced by the negative impact of fund withholding on West Bengal’s residents. However, the Bengal BJP accused the TMC of financial mismanagement and creating fraudulent job cards. The opposition leader in the Bengal assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, called it the “biggest scam after independence.” On the other hand, the Union Minister for Rural Development, Giriraj Singh, rejected the TMC’s claims and accused the West Bengal government of exploiting the poor through employment schemes.
