"Bengal Government Lied, Gave False Figures On Funds By Centre": BJP

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Dilip Ghosh attacked the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) party in the state and said that the TMC government in West Bengal has repeatedly lied and given false figures regarding the funds provided by the centre to mislead the people.

Speaking to ANI, Dilip Ghosh said, "The WB government has repeatedly lied and given false figures (regarding funding given by the Centre to the state government) to mislead the people. I am saying that today everything is in the public domain, including what the central government is doing, what it is it giving and how much the state government gets."

"The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has exposed a scam of Rs 229 crore, which the state government is yet to answer. That is the money of the poor people. The WB government should answer this first," the BJP leader said.

This comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday attacked the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal and said that many projects have not been completed on time despite the Centre giving record amounts of money.

"The TMC government here doesn't allow the implementation of central schemes in West Bengal. To establish medical colleges is the identity of the BJP. We want to establish a medical college in every district of the country. But the TMC government doesn't allow us to do this in West Bengal. Despite giving record amounts of money to West Bengal, many projects are not completed on time due to TMC," PM Modi said while addressing a public rally in Cooch Behar on Thursday.

The BJP candidate from Bardhaman Durgapur constituency also spoke on the Sandeshkhali incident earlier and said, "It is a matter of grave concern. The way women in Sandeshkhali have given their statements. All that cannot be imagined in any civilised society."

"The atrocities towards the people in Sandeshkhali have been going on for years. The solution for that will be brought out. The truth will prevail and come to the fore," he said.

Dilip Ghosh also hit out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over her indecent use of words towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a public meeting on Thursday and said, "Mamata Banerjee speaks in this manner all the time. It has become a habit for her. It will not improve. This is being discussed now after the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) has come into force."

"This use of indecent language in the atmosphere of West Bengal is because of Mamata Banerjee. Under her influence, all the big and small MPs and MLAs in the state speak in this manner. This goes on throughout the year. No one has given Mamata Banerjee the right to pollute the culture of West Bengal," said Ghosh.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday slammed the Congress and the Trinamool Congress, saying that while he calls for the removal of corruption, opposition parties such as the Congress and the Trinamool Congress call for saving "corrupt leaders."

Prime Minister Modi also attacked the TMC government in West Bengal, saying it tried its best to protect the accused in the Sandeshkhali incidents that rocked the state and said that only the Bharatiya Janata Party can stop atrocities against women.

PM Modi said the BJP has resolved to ensure punishment for the accused in the Sandeshkhali incidents.

He also accused the Trinamool Congress government of not allowing the implementation of central schemes in West Bengal, adding that many projects have not been completed on time despite the Centre giving record amounts of money to the WB government.

This was the first rally of PM Modi in West Bengal after the Election Commission of India announced the poll schedule of the general elections on March 16.

The BJP has been attacking the Trinamool Congress over incidents in Sandeshkhali in the North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. Local women accused the suspended TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan and his aides of excesses, landgrabs, and sexual assault.

Shahjahan Sheikh has been remanded to Enforcement Directorate custody until April 13 in the case in which officials of the agency were attacked while they had gone to search his residence in the probe into the money trail in an alleged ration distribution scam.

There are 42 parliamentary constituencies in West Bengal.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) secured 22 seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 18 and the Congress won two seats.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)