Mamata alleges Centre’s discrimination towards flood-hit people in north Bengal

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday alleged that the Centre is discriminating against the flood-affected people of north Bengal despite the gravity of the disaster and the number of deaths in the region being similar to that in neighbouring Sikkim.

While maintaining that her government stands with Sikkim in such an hour of crisis, the Chief Minister said that the “recent disaster which has struck our brothers and sisters at Sikkim has struck my people at the Darjeeling hills and in Kalimpong also”.

Earlier this week, the Union government released Central Share of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to Sikkim, amounting to ₹44.80 crore to help the State in providing relief measures to the people affected by the Teesta floods.

Ms. Banerjee took to social networking site ‘X’ and said that she was stunned by the central discrimination “against our affected people of Darjeeling and Kalimpong and North Bengal, despite the gravity of disaster and number of deaths there too”. “We are not beggars and we are certainly for Sikkim, but we want equality of treatment and non- discrimination in matters relating to central help in disaster management,”

The Chief Minister also added that her government is working 24×7 to save people from further distress, and have rushed in all help, including ₹25 crore assistance to GTA (Gorkhaland Territorial Administration) in the hills.

Centre undermining federalism says Amit Mitra 

During the day, former West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra said the Government of India is undermining federalism. Dr. Mitra, who is Advisor to Chief Minister of West Bengal said that 2.54 job card holders in the State are suffering because of the stopping funds under MGNREGS.

“As on September 29, 2023, funds due from Government of India to Government of West Bengal is ₹6, 907 crore,” Mr. Mitra said, adding that it is what could be more anti- federalist than that. The former State’s Finance Minister added that while the fund to MGNREGA has been stopped on December 24, 2021, the Centre invoked Section 27 of MGNREG Act on March 9, 2022. Dr. Mitra added that he has written to the Union Finance Minister several letters on how the spirit of federalism has been eroded in the GST council, which is the only federalist institution of the country.