Kolkata, August 24: Former Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, declared on Monday that she will not retire from politics. She intends to keep working until she forces the BJP to step down. Banerjee stated that the people of West Bengal recognized the true face of the BJP just four months after the government changed.
She further alleged that the ongoing census process is a covert attempt to implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) without consulting political parties. Banerjee warned citizens to be cautious before signing the census forms and sharing personal information, claiming it could jeopardize their savings.
Earlier on the same day, Banerjee criticized the BJP government following protests by women across the state regarding delays in receiving monthly allowances under the ‘Annapurna Bhandar’ financial assistance scheme.
During a Facebook Live session, she accused the state government of reducing the number of beneficiaries by citing ineligibility. Banerjee promised to find alternative arrangements for women who have been excluded from the scheme.
She stated, “We launched the ‘Lakshmi Bhandar’ scheme to empower women economically. However, the BJP is using religion and caste as criteria to distribute ‘Annapurna Bhandar’ funds. They are violating their pre-election promise to provide funds to all women and are now deceiving them.”
Banerjee added, “Women in the state are forced to roam the streets crying for the ‘Annapurna Scheme.’ We used to benefit around 2.42 crore mothers and sisters through ‘Lakshmi Bhandar.’ We even disbursed funds in March before the assembly elections. However, after the elections, nearly 75% of women have stopped receiving their allowances. If we conduct a complete survey, we will uncover all the information. There were no conditions when promises were made, but now when you apply, you are told you do not meet the eligibility criteria. This is outright fraud.”
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