Mamata Banerjee on Thursday warned that the Trinamul Congress’s agitation to press the Narendra Modi government to release funds due to Bengal under various central schemes would reach a bigger level and said goddess Durga would protect Bengal from the “conspiracy to starve” the state.

“The Centre has blocked funds for Awas Yojana and the 100-day employment guarantee scheme (MGNREGS). They have also stopped funds for the Gram Sadak Yojana,” the chief minister said while inaugurating numerous Durga Puja pandals across the state virtually from her residence in the evening.

This was Mamata’s first public appearance since her visit to the SSKM Hospital for a medical check-up on September 24. She had been confined to her residence since then on medical advice.

Trinamul claims Bengal has central dues amounting to over Rs 1.15 lakh crore, of which around Rs 15,000 crore is on account of the MGNREGS and the Awas Yojana alone.

“They have to give the pending dues under the MGNREGS. If they don’t give the money for the MGNREGS, the protest movement will reach a bigger level,” said the Trinamul Congress chairperson, three days after getting her nephew Abhishek Banerjee to pause an indefinite agitation for such demands till October 31.

“Ma Durga will protect us from this conspiracy to starve Bengal,” added Mamata.

Trinamul national general secretary Abhishek, while withdrawing till October 31 the party’s agitation for the release of funds due to Bengal, had threatened a wider and more intense movement led by the chief minister herself.

Mamata also spoke about her health, saying she was unlikely to be able to get out till the Puja carnival on Red Road on October 27.

“I am otherwise alright. There is an infection in my leg. I have been taking intravenous injections. I cannot walk very well yet, and the doctors have asked me not to walk normally for some more time,” said Mamata, who was told by a panel of senior physicians at the SSKM on September 24 that she had hurt her already-injured left knee during the 12-day Spain-UAE tour earlier that month.

She was advised rest at home by the doctors, forcing her to miss her party’s protest programmes in Delhi and Calcutta earlier this month.

“I will see you all on October 27, at the carnival,” said Mamata, who chaired the state cabinet’s meeting at her residence earlier in the day, in a first in 12 years as chief minister.