NEW DELHI, April 11: A day after the Calcutta High Court questioned the Centre over the suspension of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in West Bengal, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Saket Gokhale slammed the BJP-led government, saying it should fight them politically instead of targeting the people.
On Thursday, the Calcutta High Court directed the central government to explain why the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme should not be prospectively implemented in West Bengal, excluding four districts.
In a post on X, Gokhale said the Union government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has withheld over Rs 7,500 crore of West Bengal’s dues under the rural employment guarantee scheme, adding that the Centre’s own data does not show any irregularity.
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“After BJP lost the Assembly elections in Bengal in 2021, the Modi Govt has withheld over 7500 crores of our state’s dues under MGNREGS. What’s shameful is that none of the 12 MPs and 2 Union Ministers of BJP from Bengal have asked the Union Govt to release these dues,” Gokhale said in a post on X.
He claimed this money belongs to the poor who have worked but have not been paid because the funds were withheld.
“The BJP has deprived the people of Bengal because they cannot defeat our leader Mamata Banerjee.. It is important to note that there is not a single irregularity (according to the Union Govt’s own data) in MGNREGS in Bengal,” Gokhale claimed.
“Now, the Calcutta High Court has observed that it is ILLEGAL for the Modi Govt to suspend MGNREGS indefinitely. Why doesn’t the BJP understand that depriving the people of Bengal will only make them lose elections? Why can’t the BJP fight us politically fair and square instead of targeting the people of Bengal?” he said.
While hearing petitions which demanded that beneficiaries be paid for work already completed under the scheme, the court observed that the MGNREGA does not allow for indefinite suspension of the scheme’s implementation due to complaints.
It emphasised that appropriate remedial measures must be undertaken within a reasonable time frame. The state government’s contribution, according to the apportionment under the MGNREGA, should also flow into the exchequer.
Directing the central government to submit a report addressing these issues within three weeks, the court scheduled the next hearing for May 15.
According to the Rural Development Ministry, the release of funds to West Bengal under MGNREGS has been stopped since March 9, 2022 according to the provisions under section 27 of the MGNREGA, 2005 due to non-compliance with directions from the central government. (PTI)
