Bengal's Budget Blues: TMC's Abhishek Banerjee Slams Sitharaman - 'Where's the White Paper on Bengal's Allocation?

New Delhi [India], July 30 : TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday asked why Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman did not bring out a white paper on what she allocated to West Bengal in the budget.
Speaking to ANI, Banerjee said, "I am only saying that I can say something; BJP ministers and leaders can say something; it may be right or wrong, but papers never lie. After losing in Bengal in 2021, the BJP didn't give a single penny to Bengal in 100 days' wage employment and the housing scheme, and the list of 11,36,000 people who should get houses from the state government has been pending for over a year and a half, but not a single penny has been given yet. If given, I request the Prime Minister, Finance Minister, and every member of the Modi government's cabinet to release a white paper and let the truth come out."
"I have given my response in the House on the budget and presented my facts, and you all have seen it. I also said that I am giving some facts, it may be right or wrong, Nirmala ji is giving some facts, it may be right or wrong. When a minister speaks, especially in Parliament, in the Lok Sabha, they should present their statement with facts in hand. That's why I said Nirmala Sitharaman should release a white paper," he said.
He said, "On the day of the budget presentation, after presenting the budget in the Lok Sabha, when the budget was tabled in the Rajya Sabha, she said that for 10 years, we have given thousands of crores to Bengal, but the Bengal government has not been able to utilise those funds properly. I asked Nirmala Sitharaman a small question that day: after losing in Bengal in 2021, how much money did you give to Bengal in 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24 financial years for housing and 100 days' work? Release a white paper to reveal it."
He also said that "Today, the outstanding amount for Bengal is Rs 1,71,000 crores. Our Chief Minister attended the NITI Aayog meeting two days ago, and she was not allowed to speak. Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu was given 25 minutes to speak, Goa CM Pramod Sawant was given 15 minutes, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma was given 15 minutes, and our CM Mamata Banerjee was not allowed to speak for more than 5 minutes."
He criticised the BJP, saying, "BJP is misleading people; Bengal's name is not even mentioned in the budget; not a single penny has been given to Bengal; and they are using Bengal's tax money to build bridges in Bihar, which will collapse. They are misusing people's money, exploiting people, and silencing journalists."
"By taking votes from the people of Bengal and not doing anything for them, the BJP is trying to divide Bengal, which will not work. I would tell the 2 crore people of Bengal who voted for the BJP to see who they voted for, whose duty was to provide them with housing, prepare roads in their villages, arrange for water supply, and bring development to their lives, but today they are trying to break Bengal. They are talking about the North Bengal-North East merger plan. This is the same divisive politics that the CPIM had during their 34-year rule in Bengal, and today their politics have collapsed. Bengal will not break; the Prime Minister's arrogance has been shattered and will continue to shatter," Banerjee said.
Earlier Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar's request to the Centre to "include" the northern part of West Bengal with the "North East" has sent shock waves within political circles in West Bengal. Historically, there has been a perception among residents in north Bengal that the region has been neglected in terms of development and infrastructure compared to Kolkata and adjoining areas in the southern part of the state.