West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee slams BJP for alleging corruption in Cyclone Amphan relief

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday targeted the BJP over its allegation of corruption by the ruling TMC over Cyclone Amphan relief. While addressing a rally at Midnapore, The chief minister said, "No matter how much work we do, our policies are always labelled bad. Rafale scam wasn't bad, PM CARES fund which does not divulge its details isn't bad for them (BJP) but they want an account of Amphan cyclone damage here."

"West Bengal will never bow its head to the people who murdered Mahatma Gandhi," she said. Mamata's attack comes after the saffron party's national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya had alleged that the West Bengal state government was involved in corruption over the distribution of relief in the aftermath of cyclone Amphan.

The BJP national general secretary on Saturday, while participating in the party's 'Aar Noy Anyay' (no more injustice) campaign in North 24 Parganas district, alleged that free ration provided by the Centre did not reach the poor people in the state.

"We had earlier said that post-Amphan relief had not reached the needy and the TMC was involved in irregularities. Now, with the Calcutta High Court asking the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) to audit the relief, our words have come true," he said.

The Calcutta High Court on December 1 had directed the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India to audit cyclone Amphan-related relief amid allegations of irregularities.

Hitting out at the TMC, which has been vocal against the new farm laws and has lent support to the farmers' agitation in north India, the senior BJP leader, who also oversees the party's activities in West Bengal, said that farmers are the most deprived section in the state.

As several TMC MLAs have been expressing dissent against the ruling party, including the senior leader Suvendu Adhikari, Vijayvagiya stated that the people of the state and senior TMC leaders are not happy with 'bhaipo' (nephew), while targeting Abhishek Banerjee, the nephew of West Bengal chief minister.

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West Bengal elections 2021

BJP has emerged as a prime opposition and challenger to the ruling TMC ahead of the West Bengal assembly elections which are likely to be held in May 2021 for the 294-seat legislative assembly. Home Minister Amit Shah who had visited the State in November, had exuded confidence of winning over 200 seats in the upcoming polls, a highly ambitious figure as the party won 18 seats of the 42 seats of West Bengal in 2019 Lok Sabha election. BJP has also lambasted on multiple occasions and held the ruling party responsible for the alleged political violence it has faced in the state with over 120 of its leaders and members been killed in political violence. 

Moreover, BJP is riding high on the critical nail-biting victory of Bihar assembly election as well as the by-poll victory, the polls of which were held on 58 seats in 11 states across the country. The saffron party has also kicked off booth level activities in the run-up to the 2021 polls. Meanwhile, TMC, on the other hand, is aiming to return to power for the fourth time and has kicked off its campaign by launching the digital campaigns 'Mark Yourself safe from BJP' &  'Didi Ke Bolo'.

(With inputs from agencies)

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