Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the Opposition, said on the floor of the Bengal Assembly on Friday that the Narendra Modi government had allocated more funds to the state than it had collected as taxes over five financial years from 2018-19.

While speaking against a motion brought by the ruling dispensation on the Centre’s alleged denial of funds to Bengal, Adhikari tabled data in the House to back his claim.

“You always claim that the central government collected ₹4.6 lakh crore as tax from Bengal but did not pay ₹1.6 lakh crore under various schemes,” said Adhikari.

“I can show you documents that clearly indicate the Union government collected ₹4.6 lakh crore in taxes from the state from 2018-19 to 2022-23 and gave ₹6.4 lakh crore during the same period,” Adhikari added, providing a break-up of the funds that the state received.

The Trinamul Congress often accuses the Narendra Modi government of depriving Bengal of its rightful funds despite collecting substantial taxes from the state.

Outside the House, Adhikari claimed that he had proved inside the Assembly that the allegation of deprivation was not right.

The motion, brought by government chief whip Nirmal Ghosh, accused the Union government of withholding funds, including payments to workers under MGNREGA.

The Assembly witnessed a heated debate for and against the motion. Four BJP legislators, including Adhikari, and six TMC MLAs, including state panchayat and rural development minister Pradip Majumdar, presented their arguments.

TMC legislators claimed that the Centre did not allocate money for 11.36 lakh dwelling units, even after a rigorous survey was conducted in 2022 and Delhi’s promise to disburse the fund. They argued that how the Mamata Banerjee government had been funding these houses entirely from the state’s exchequer.

Adhikari countered, alleging that the Centre withheld funds because the state government failed to comply with the procedures outlined by the Union government.

“I urge the state government to publish the list of beneficiaries in all panchayats. If the government allows us, we are ready to meet the chief secretary to address our concerns about ineligible candidates. We want all poor people in the state to receive their rightful dwelling units,” Adhikari said.

Although the BJP MLAs participated in the debate, they left the Assembly before the motion was passed.