TMC Withdraws Sit-In Protest On MGNREGA Dues After Assurance By Bengal Guv: Abhishek Banerjee

The Trinamool Congress’ General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Monday said that the party is withdrawing the sit-in protest which was being staged outside Raj Bhavan in West Bengal against the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) dues. Banerjee said that he is withdrawing the protest for the time being after being assured by Governor CV Ananda Bose that he will take up the issue with the Centre. Earlier in the day, the TMC called upon the West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose in the Raj Bhavan and urged him to fulfil his ‘solemn responsibility’ by addressing the issue of unpaid wages for MGNREGA job card holders and to write to the Centre for clarification on the issue.

We are withdrawing sit-in outside Raj Bhavan on MGNREGA dues for the time being after Guv”s assurance: TMC”s Abhishek Banerjee

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 9, 2023

“West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has promised to answer our questions in 24 hours. As per the advice of West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and other senior leaders, we are withdrawing the protest against the Central Government over the allocation of funds for MGNREGA & other social security schemes for West Bengal,” Abhishek Banerjee said, as quoted by news agency ANI.

News agency PTI cited an official as informing that Governor Bose assured a TMC delegation led by Abhishek Banerjee that he will take up with the Centre the issue of MGNREGA dues to the state.

The West Bengal Governor also told the TMC delegates that he will do whatever is required for the welfare of the people of the state. 

The official told PTI, “The delegation headed by Abhishek Banerjee called on the governor at the Raj Bhavan at 4 PM and submitted a memorandum on MGNREGA. The governor gave a patient hearing and said the matter will be brought to the notice of the government of India and whatever is required for the welfare of the people of Bengal will be done.”

The party in its memorandum said, “Your Excellency, as the constitutional head of the state, it is your solemn responsibility to help resolve the long-pending issue of non-payment of wages to more than 21 lakh deprived men and women of Bengal who have earned an honest living.”

The memorandum added, “Your Excellency, we look to you, as the Governor of this state, to safeguard the interests of both the state and its people. Over the last two years, our sustained efforts to reach out to all levels of the union government to recover the funds owed by it have been met with zero action and ‘Zamindari Culture’.”

The TMC appealed to the Governor to address the matter urgently by writing to the Centre to seek clarity on the issue.

The memorandum concluded by saying, “Thereafter we can continue our mission to ensure that justice is served to the victims who have been unjustly denied their hard-earned rightful dues.”