Trinamul Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee announced on Friday that lakhs of people from Bengal would march on the streets of New Delhi on October 2 to demand funds that the Narendra Modi government had held up under MGNREGS and other central government schemes in the past two years.

“Following permission from our party’s chairperson Mamata Banerjee, I announce from this dais of the Martyrs’ Day rally that we will go to Delhi on October 2 and launch a mass protest there. The 100-day work scheme is officially known as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and that is why we have called the protest on the birth anniversary of Gandhiji,” Abhishek said.

A source in Trinamul said the date for the protest in Delhi was fixed following a meeting with chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who suggested the day as the scheme had been named after the Father of the Nation.

Trinamul has been accusing the BJP-led Union government of withholding central funds worth Rs 1,15,000 crore, which include Rs 7,500 crore due to the state on account of the rural job scheme. An official has said half of the total dues under MGNREGS are wages of poor villagers who worked under the scheme earlier.

“We had three options to get the funds from Delhi. First, a gentle process of requesting them (Centre) to release funds for the poor people of Bengal. Second, fall at theirfeet seeking funds and the third is ‘Delhi Cholo’ to force the anti-poor BJP government to give us our rightful due,”the Diamond Harbour MP said.

During his two-month-long outreach drive, Abhishek had asked rural people across Bengal for their nod to participate in the protest in Delhi against the denial of funds to Bengal.

Speaking at Friday’s rally, Mamata also endorsed the announcement and said lakhs of people from Bengal would go to Delhi on Gandhi’s birthday if the Centre did not release funds before October 2.

“If they stop us midway, we will protest at that point and make sure our voice reaches the ears of the leaders in Delhi for the due funds of the poor people of Bengal,” Mamata said.

Trinamul’s primary plan is to take around two lakh supporters to the national capital and force the Centre to release funds that have been withheld by the Modi government on grounds of alleged irregularities in the utilisation of funds.

Abhishek had set the stage for the protest in Delhi through a pan-Bengal signature campaign involving one crore people who are dependent on the 100-day work scheme.

Abhishek had announced the drive at a public meeting in Alipurduar in April.

Apart from the call of Delhi Cholo, Abhishek asked Trinamul workers to gherao the homes of BJP leaders, including those at the booth level, from 10am to 6pm.

“You make a list of BJP leaders of your area irrespective of their status and gherao their houses from 10am to 6pm on August 5, which is a Saturday. You have to ensure that no BJP leader can leave or get into their houses during that time. Spare the elderly people and hold a peaceful protest,” said Abhishek.

Speaking after Abhishek, the Trinamul supremo, however, revised the August 5 programme and asked party workers to launch a protest at the block level and at least 100 metres away from their homes.

“Abhishek just announced a plan for a programme on August 5. But I would like to ask (my party workers) to conduct the programme at the block level instead of the booth level. I will request you to launch the protest 100 metres away from their homes so that their family members do not face any obstruction. You protest just like you set up a camp during the election, 100 metres away from a polling booth,” Mamata said.