- By PTI
- Sun, 21 Sep 2025 08:56 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday claimed that the Centre was taking undue credit for lowering GST rates, though the move was initiated by the state.
Her statement came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an address to the nation, said a GST savings festival will begin from the first day of Navratri' on Monday, which, coupled with the income tax exemption, will be a "double bonanza" for most people.
Without naming the Prime Minister, Banerjee said, We are losing Rs 20,000 crore as revenue, but we are happy about the lowering of GST. But why are you (Modi) claiming credit for it? We had sought a lowered GST. It was our suggestion at the GST Council meeting."
She alleged that the Modi government has not released over Rs 1.92 crore as central project allocations in several schemes such as MGNREGS. You are taking away our money, causing difficulties for us to run state-sponsored welfare projects like Lakshmir Bhandar and Krishak Bandhu. We will continue to run our social welfare schemes nevertheless," she said.
The Centre has no work other than giving speeches, the TMC supremo alleged. Banerjee also referred to the alleged harassment of Bengali-speaking migrants in BJP-ruled states. "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 so? Why migrants should be thrown out, being labelled as Bangladeshis. None has the right to insult our Bengali-speaking residents, she said.
There are allegations that several Bengali-speaking people hailing from West Bengal were sent to Bangladesh by the authorities of various states. Cases in this regard are pending in the Calcutta High Court.
"Don't forget that Bengal played a prominent role in liberating the country. If you (BJP) play with fire, it is fraught with danger; don't do that. Don't split the country and rupture its unity in diversity," she said.
She asserted that 24,000 migrants came back to the state from outside and 10,000 of them were deployed again. We are giving money to all of them and ensuring they are employed in jobs befitting their skills," she added.
Banerjee, without elaborating, also accused the BJP-led central government of shifting Mahatma Gandhi's photo to the lower side of Indian currency notes. She claimed that whenever a crime is committed against a woman in West Bengal, NCW members visit the state, but fail to go to BJP-ruled states in a similar situation.
Referring to the problems faced by Indian professionals after the US government raised fees for H1B visas steeply, Banerjee accused the Centre of not doing much for them. "Those who are working there, what will happen to them now?" she asked.
Banerjee said none should sow seeds of religious division, as Durga, Vaishno Devi, and Kali are the same goddess. Turning to the proposal to set up a Durga angan in the city, she said, "Everything has been finalised. But it will take two years to complete." Apparently referring to the bridge collapse in Gujarat, she said, When we construct something, we make sure it does not collapse."
Disclaimer: Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by The Daily Jagran staff and has been published through syndicated feed by PTI.