West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asserted on Sunday that the central government was unjustly taking credit for recent reductions in Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates, a change she claimed originated from her state.
Her comments came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation, where he announced the commencement of a “GST savings festival” on Monday, coinciding with the first day of ‘Navratri’. The Prime Minister referred to the tax reductions as a “double bonanza” alongside income tax exemptions.
Without directly naming Modi, Banerjee stated, “We are losing ₹20,000 crore as revenue, but we are pleased about the lowering of GST. However, why are you (Modi) claiming credit for it? We had asked for a reduced GST. It was our proposal at the GST Council meeting.”
Additionally, Banerjee alleged that the Modi administration has withheld over ₹1.92 crore in central project allocations across several schemes, including the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
“You are taking away our funds, which makes it challenging for us to implement state-sponsored welfare programs like Lakshmir Bhandar and Krishak Bandhu. Nevertheless, we will continue our social welfare initiatives,” she stated.
The chief minister also addressed the issue of harassment faced by Bengali-speaking migrants in states governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying, “If I speak in Bengali, that is illegal, and if I speak in another language, that is legal. How can you (BJP-ruled government) say that? Why should migrants be expelled and labeled as Bangladeshis? No one has the right to insult our Bengali-speaking residents.”
There have been allegations that numerous Bengali-speaking individuals from West Bengal were sent back to Bangladesh by various state authorities. Cases related to this issue are currently pending in the Calcutta High Court.
Banerjee emphasized, “Don’t forget that Bengal played a significant role in the country’s liberation. If you (BJP) play with fire, it is dangerous; don’t do that. Don’t divide the nation and disrupt its unity in diversity.”
Moreover, Banerjee mentioned that 24,000 migrants returned to West Bengal from outside the state, with 10,000 of them being redeployed. “We are providing financial assistance to all and ensuring they are employed in positions that match their skills,” she concluded.
