West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday alleged that a deliberate misinformation campaign was on to delay clearing MGNREGA dues to the state.
Her accusation came a day after she extended the deadline by three weeks to November 23 for the Centre to clear the dues.
Initially, she had extended the deadline till November 16 but later changed it to November 23 as the day coincided with a world cup semi-final tie at Eden Gardens here.
She will hold the party meeting at the Netaji Indoor Stadium here on November 23 to decide on the party's next course of action, the Trinamool Congress said in a statement.
"The Hon'ble Chief Minister of West Bengal & Hon'ble Chairperson of All India Trinamool Congress, Mamata Banerjee, announced that a meeting will be held on November 16, 2023 at Netaji Indoor Stadium. However, owing to the World Cup semi-final that falls on the same day, the meeting is being rescheduled. The meeting will now be held on November 23, 2023 at the same venue," the party posted on X.
She said the central government did not release any funds despite Trinamool Congress' movement and alleged that misinformation was being spread to confuse people.
"I detect a deliberate disinformation campaign regarding Central release of funds in MGNREGA. Despite our vigorous movements and submission of detailed factual records and accounts, the Centre has been dragging its feet and has not released any withheld fund whatsoever at all," Banerjee wrote on X.
She described the spreading of misinformation as "shame" on the part of the central government.
The central government had earlier said funds for the rural job scheme were not released to Bengal due to non-compliance of directives.
In a statement, the ministry had said funds for West Bengal "have been stopped from March 9, 2022" as per provisions of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 due to non-compliance of directives of the central government.
"The misinformation is being spread to befool people and to spread confusion, and to malign the State Government. We need, deserve, and are entitled to our rightful share. We continue to be unfairly deprived, despite leaking of false information here and there. Shame!!," she added.
The party also emphasised continuing their movement to fight for the rights' of poor people and get the unpaid dues released by the BJP-led central government.
"With a firm resolve, we will fight for the rights of the people of Bengal. We will not give up until the BJP-led central government releases the rightful dues of our workers," the party said.
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