Why is PM 'defaming' Bengal, why MGNREGA funds for state 'frozen' for 3 yrs: Cong

NEW DELHI: On a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi campaigned in West Bengal for the last phase of polling, the Congress on Tuesday asked why he was "defaming" Bengal and has "frozen" MGNREGA funds for the state for almost three years now.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh asked why the prime minister is campaigning without showing sensitivity to the people of Bengal by addressing the damage caused by Cyclone Remal instead.

"Today's questions for the outgoing Prime Minister in West Bengal - Does the PM value Bengali lives? Why is the outgoing PM always defaming Bengal? Why have MGNREGA funds for Bengal remained frozen for almost 3 years?" he asked.

Ramesh said in April 2021, as India was facing a devastating second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the prime minister was found "recklessly campaigning" for the West Bengal assembly elections rather than leading the country's response to the pandemic.

"Today, he shows this same insensitivity again, choosing to blow his communal dog-whistles rather than address the damage caused by Cyclone Remal, which has killed at least 6 people and damaged nearly 30,000 houses. Does he regard Bengali lives as being so dispensable," he asked in a post on X.

Ramesh said on April 28, during an interview with the press, PM Modi said that "Bengal is ruined" and "Kolkata is ruined".

"There is no greater insult to 10.5 crore Bengalis. Of course, this is not the first time the outgoing PM has shown his contempt for Bengal and Bengalis. In 2022, the Centre rejected a tableau of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose for the annual Republic Day parade. Similar insults were repeated in 2015 and 2024. Why is the outgoing PM always defaming and disrespecting Bengal? If Bengal is so "ruined", why has his Government done zero work to restore it," the Congress leader asked.

"The Modi Sarkar has time and again shown extreme vindictiveness to the people of West Bengal for rejecting the BJP in 2021. Funds for MGNREGS came to a complete halt within months of the BJP's loss in the assembly election, and according to the state government, the Central Government's dues to West Bengal now amount to a whopping 1.15 lakh crore.

"In their pettiness, the BJP Government has withheld funds for a number of other critical rural welfare schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, the National Health Mission (NHM) and the Jal Jeevan Mission. A few months ago, the state Governor said that the PM is 'very keen' to solve this issue. But his general indifference to this issue over the last few years begs the question - how long do the state's most vulnerable have to suffer while the PM nurses his fragile ego?" he asked.

Earlier, the Congress leader also posed a set of three questions to the prime minister after he campaigned in Jharkhand.

"Today's questions for the outgoing PM's Jharkhand visit: Why is the Godda MP candidate urging people to vote for 'thieves and dacoits' with BJP tickets? Why has the Bhrasht Janata Party not supported Godda's farmers in their struggle for justice? Why has the PM denied Adivasis their religious identity and refused to enact the Sarna code," he asked.

Ramesh also attacked three-time BJP MP from Godda and current MP candidate Nishikant Dubey, who in a video was purportedly seen urging people to vote for BJP candidates regardless of their criminal backgrounds, asking why did the BJP not support Godda's farmers instead.

"For years, Jharkhand's tribal communities, followers of the Sarna faith, have sought official recognition of their distinct religious identity in India. However, the recent decision to remove the 'Others' option from the religion column in the census poses a dilemma for Sarna adherents, who must now choose between leaving the column blank or aligning themselves with specified religions.

"Despite former BJP Chief Minister Raghubar Das's assurance of enacting the Sarna Code by 2021, no progress has been made. The demand for a Sarna code reflects the tribes' longstanding aspiration for official recognition as a distinct religious community. As the outgoing PM visits Jharkhand, will he address this issue and fulfil the promise of enacting the Sarna Code," Ramesh asked.