TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee hits out at PIL activists, accuses BJP of having callous attitude

Abhishek Banerjee, general secretary of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), hit out at PIL (Public Interest Litigation) activists claiming that PIL has become “Political Interest Litigation” at present. 

Banerjee was leaving for Delhi to protest against the central government for stopping disbursement of funds to West Bengal. 

"For those who file PIL in the High Court every now and then, today PIL has become Political Interest Litigation instead of Public Interest Litigation. I want to ask them why they have not  filed any PIL against the stoppage of central government funds to the workers who worked for 100 days, for AWAS even after two years?" said the TMC leader while speaking to the media on Sunday, October 1.

BJP has callous attitude: Abhishek Banerjee 

Abhishek Banerjee further alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has a “callous attitude” towards the people of West Bengal. 

"Giriraj Singh is in Delhi and is not meeting TMC representatives who are going to Delhi. Earlier when we went to meet Giriraj Singh at his office, he did not meet us despite being present. This shows the callous attitude of BJP to the people of West Bengal,” he said. 

TMC’s Banerjee terms BJP’s promises to West Bengal as false 

Recalling how BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar called and assured money transfer in West Bengal, Banerjee said they only “boasted” about it.

"BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar had earlier said that money will be transferred in a phone call. The TMC will not be deterred by the BJP's arm-twisting tactics and will fight till the end,” he said. 

"They are trying to stop us from protesting by cancelling the train at the last moment, not giving permission to protest. They have stopped sending money to Bengal because they lost here. This is not done. We will fight till the end," he said. 

Speaking of the children who died in a wall collapse in West Bengal's Bankura district, Banerjee said, "The ones responsible for their death are Narendra Modi, Giriraj Singh and BJP leaders from here (West Bengal). They have gone to Delhi and pleaded to stop disbursement of funds to Bengal...There should be a proper investigation and those like Giriraj Singh should be arrested,” he said.

On the central government allegedly stopping money to West Bengal under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, the TMC leader said, "Rs 20,000 crore is being spent on the Prime Minister's residence and they have stopped 1.5 lakh for people's residences...They feel that they will stay in power forever...But in a democracy, people have the final say." 

He further alleged that the saffron party stopped giving money to the state after it “lost polls in West Bengal.” 

"TMC does not discriminate between places where they won or lost...Why is only Bengal's money being stopped? Have they stopped money in Assam? There are reports of scams in Assam as well,” he alleged.