"TMC staged a walkout because we want white paper to be released": TMC MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay
Jul 30, 2024
New Delhi [India], July 30 : Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay said that the TMC staged a walkout because their National Secretary, Abhishek Banerjee, categorically demanded the release of a white paper on the budget on Tuesday.
"The TMC staged a walkout because Abhishek Banerjee very clearly stated that the white paper must be released. Our MGNREGA allocation and Awas Yojana allocation need to be declared and released," he said.
Bandyopadhyay further mentioned that Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman evaded all the questions raised by their leaders.
"The Finance Minister avoided answering the questions raised by our leader. She started listing projects where funds were allocated, but this is not what we asked for," he said.
Earlier, TMC Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee questioned why Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman did not issue a white paper on the budget allocations for West Bengal.
Speaking to ANI, Banerjee said, "I am saying that I can make statements; BJP ministers and leaders can make statements; they may be right or wrong, but papers never lie. Since losing in Bengal in 2021, the BJP hasn't allocated a single penny to Bengal for 100 days' wage employment and the housing scheme. The list of 11,36,000 people who should receive 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 funds have been allocated, I request the Prime Minister, Finance Minister, and every member of the Modi government's cabinet to release a white paper and reveal the truth."
"I have given my response in the House on the budget and presented my facts, which you all have seen. I also said that I am presenting some facts, they may be right or wrong, and Nirmala ji is presenting some facts, which may also be right or wrong. When a minister speaks, especially in Parliament, in the Lok Sabha, they should present their statements with evidence in hand. That's why I insisted that Nirmala Sitharaman should release a white paper," he said.
Banerjee also criticized the BJP, saying, "The BJP is misleading people; Bengal's name is not even mentioned in the budget; not a single penny has been allocated to Bengal. Instead, 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."
