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The Trinamool Congress is preparing a series of daily protests in Parliament to spotlight what it claims are long pending central dues to West Bengal, aiming to push federal concerns, stalled funds and cultural demands to the centre of national debate.
Party raises a list of twenty questions for the central govt.
New Delhi: The Trinamool Congress is gearing up for a determined and structured protest campaign during the Winter Session of Parliament. According to party insiders, TMC MPs will hold demonstrations every day, each centred on a specific issue. The plan includes carrying themed posters, raising slogans and moving around the Parliament complex to draw attention to concerns that they say have been neglected by the central government.
At the heart of the TMC’s protest strategy is the allegation that the Centre has withheld large sums owed to West Bengal under several centrally sponsored schemes. The party’s twenty point questionnaire targets fund releases that it claims have remained pending for years. These include dues under MGNREGA, PM Awas Yojana for rural housing, Samagra Shiksha, PM Gram Sadak Yojana and the Jal Jeevan Mission. The TMC argues that delays have led to stalled development work across the state.
Another major theme in the party’s questions pertains to the release of disaster relief compensation. West Bengal was hit hard by cyclones Amphan, Yaas and Bulbul, yet the party alleges that promised relief under the national disaster response fund has not been released in the current financial year. The TMC plans to highlight how this has hampered reconstruction efforts in rural and coastal areas.
The party’s questionnaire also points to frequent floods that it says have been worsened by sudden water releases from DVC dams without proper coordination with the state government. According to the TMC, better inter agency communication and advance planning could help prevent damage to farmland and residential areas in flood prone districts.
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The TMC also intends to raise concerns about attacks on Bengali speaking migrant workers in other states. Additionally, the party will spotlight delays in key railway redevelopment projects under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. Leaders claim these delays have slowed infrastructure modernisation that is essential for improving travel and economic activity in the region.
Another issue the TMC is expected to highlight is the limited flow of funds to West Bengal under the revamped distribution sector scheme. Party leaders claim that inadequate allocations have hindered long term efforts to upgrade power infrastructure and strengthen supply in rural and urban areas.
A significant portion of the twenty point list focuses on cultural and identity related demands. These include recognition of Sarna or Sari dharma as a separate religion, inclusion of the Kurmali and Rajbongshi Kamtapuri languages in the Eighth Schedule, and recognition of the Gangasagar Mela as a national fair. The party also wants Poila Boishakh to be designated as the official state foundation day and has renewed its long standing appeal for changing the name of the state to Bangla.
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During the Winter Session, the TMC plans to revive its call for a White Paper on funds allegedly withheld from West Bengal. More than twenty one months after the party’s national general secretary publicly challenged the central government to release detailed accounts, TMC leaders say that the core questions remain unanswered.
Alongside these protests, floral tributes were paid in the Central Hall of Parliament on the birth anniversary of C Rajagopalachari. TMC members, including Yusuf Pathan and June Malia, were among those present for the ceremony.
For the TMC, the Winter Session represents a critical chance to bring centre state financial disputes and federal questions to the forefront of parliamentary debate. Party leaders believe that persistent and issue specific protests will place pressure on the government and ensure that West Bengal’s concerns are heard.
