Trinamul on Tuesday began sending out a total of 50 lakh letters from Bengal’s MGNREGS job cardholders addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union rural development minister Giriraj Singh.
This comes ahead of the party’s Delhi protest programmes next week over its core demand of the BJP-led Centre releasing funds due to Bengal.
Piles of letters assembled and sorted by the office of Trinamul national general-secretary Abhishek Banerjee started getting dispatched on Tuesday.
The letters were part of the Delhi protest plan around Gandhi Jayanti announced on September 16, which remains unaltered so far, despite many other changes over the past few days including the uncertainty regarding Trinamul chief Mamata Banerjee’s ability to attend because of her knee injury.
Abhishek, who has since summer maintained unwavering focus on the alleged deprivation of Bengal by the Centre’s freezing of funds due to the state since 2021, applauded on X, formerly Twitter, the power of the people.
“West Bengal stands united against central govt’s injustice, determined to claim what’s rightfully ours. People’s power reigns supreme in democracy. #Justice,” he posted, along with images of the letters.
Trinamul claims Bengal has not received over Rs 1.15 lakh crore from the BJP-led Centre, with around Rs 7,000 crore pending in the 100 days’ job guarantee scheme.
“People of Bengal are raising their voice against injustice! @BJP4India has ruthlessly withheld ₹15,000 crore due to Bengal under the MGNREGA and Awas Yojana. Those adversely impacted have written letters to the PM @narendramodi seeking their rightful dues. BENGAL WILL FIGHT TILL JUSTICE IS RESTORED,” the party posted on X, in the context of the letters.
Around 600 Trinamul elected representatives — MPs, MLAs, zilla parishad and panchayat samiti chiefs — are to start protests by paying respect at Rajghat on October 2 in the presence of Mamata, if she can make it, and Abhishek. On October 3, they plan to hold a demonstration, where 2,000 job cardholders from Bengal are supposed to join, at Jantar Mantar, after which they would march to meet the Union rural development minister at either his office or residence.
To share the details of Trinamul programmes and plans in Delhi, Abhishek is scheduled to conduct virtual sessions on Thursday and Friday with the party’s rank and file, right till the block and ward levels.
Mamata’s injury to her already-injured left knee, which she suffered during her Spain visit last week, might compel her to miss the programmes in Delhi, in which case Abhishek would solely lead them.
While the chief minister remains “very keen” to attend the Delhi programmes, she has been advised to rest by a panel of senior physicians at SSKM Hospital.