TMC, BJP engage in war of words over Mamata’s new outreach programme

TMC leaders will require the Suraksha Kavach of their chairperson as they have to explain their misdeeds, Dilip Ghosh said

Opposition BJP and the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal on Saturday entered into another round of war of words over a new outreach programme, ‘ Didir Suraksha Kavach’, announced by TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee.

Around 3.5 lakh party workers will visit around two crore households, covering the state’s 10 crore population over the next two months to highlight the welfare schemes undertaken by the Mamata Banerjee government.

The party workers would be called emissaries of the CM, 'Didir Doot'. Banerjee is addressed by people as ‘Didi’(elder sister).

Taking a dig at the campaign of the state ahead of the panchayat elections, BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh told reporters, “TMC leaders will require the Suraksha Kavach (protective shield) of their chairperson as they have to explain their misdeeds of swindling money of central projects by depriving the people.

"Delhi's Doots are now reaching out everywhere…to BDO offices and banks in different parts of state. TMC leaders are shivering with the fear of CBI raids, and central teams who are fanning out everywhere in state to find out how funds were used under Prime Minister Awas Yojana."

Two Central teams are in West Bengal now for looking into allegations of irregularities in the allotment of houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).

Endorsing Ghosh, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari tweeted, "Verification of eligible beneficiaries of old age and widow pension schemes under National Social Assistance Programme is going on in West Bengal. Phony 'Didir Doots' would mislead soon to be finalised lakhs of recipients by masquerading the National Pension Scheme as Didi's gift.

"The crooks would most likely tell these people who visited the 'Duare Sarkar' camps and applied for Old age and widow pension that West Bengal government has selected them as they had visited the camps and applied accordingly. The fact that their benefactor is Central government would be concealed."

The ‘Duare Sarkar’ initiative is about providing doorstep delivery of various government schemes.

Replying to the jibe, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Santanu Sen claimed people of the state are with TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee who has ushered in several social welfare projects and outreach programmes to come to the aid of the masses.

“This has made the BJP jealous as they have become shaky about the slew of outreach drives initiated by the TMC-run government. They are sure about their imminent defeat in the panchayat polls and hence making comments which make no sense," Sen said.

The TMC will start the campaign from January 11.

“Party workers will reach out to people across the state and ensure that everyone can avail of the welfare schemes of the state government,” TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee had said on January 2.