TMC Arranges Special Buses to Take MGNREGA Cardholders to Delhi, Names the Protest ‘Fight for Right’

Naming its protest against the “non-release of dues” under MGNREGA as the ‘Fight for Right’, the Trinamool Congress is gearing up for the big demonstration in the national capital on October 3.

All MPs and senior leaders of the party have been directed to be present in Delhi by Sunday evening where party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee will hold a meeting with them.

Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, who was initially scheduled to attend the program, might not travel, as she was advised 10 days of rest by doctors after suffering an injury to her left knee during a recently concluded two-country visit.

Addressing party leaders and workers virtually, Abhishek Banerjee has declared the protest will go ahead and urged participation from other parties too.

“This is not a TMC movement, this is a people’s movement. I am saying this to other political parties too,” he said. Accusing the BJP-led central government of building the new Parliament with “poor people’s money”, Banerjee said: “Bengal has given you the answer and we will keep doing that. If any poor person is hurt in Delhi, people will give the answer.”

During the protest, the TMC also plans to highlight how the central government allegedly tried to stop the demonstration from going ahead. Abhishek Banerjee had declared on Friday he will participate in the party’s protest on October 3, effectively ignoring summons by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in connection with the school jobs scam in Kolkata on the same day.

The TMC also said its request for a special train from West Bengal to New Delhi for the protest programme was declined by the Railways, following which Abhishek Banerjee said his party will make alternative arrangements for taking its supporters to Delhi.

“The BJP is deliberately creating roadblocks to stop our protest programme. First, they didn’t allow us permission for Ram Leela Maidan, then I was sent a notice to appear before the Enforcement Directorate on that day, and now this refusal of a special train at the last moment,” he said.

Eastern Rail spokesperson Kaushik Mitra, however, told News18 that no application was received for a special train. “Nobody has applied to Railways. Some political party applied to Group General Manager, IRCTC and he communicated to Railways. The Railways replied that we don’t have such rakes. This has nothing to do with politics.”

On Saturday, the TMC made arrangements for around 50 buses to take MNREGA beneficiaries and TMC workers to Delhi. The buses will take the Asansol, Dhanbad, Varanasi, Kanpur route, party sources said, adding that “more than 5,000 people” are expected to participate in the protest. Each bus shall be equipped with medical kits.

Tushar Kanti Roy, a MNREGA beneficiary from Jalpaiguri, reached Kolkata on Friday to leave for Delhi. “We have not been getting money since 2021. They have not given us trains, but our problem is so serious that we are ready to walk to Delhi too. Only I know how I am keeping my family afloat. We need an answer from the Centre.”

Mohammad Tahiud Raheman, who has come from Nadia, has been camped at Netaji Indoor Stadium along with other MNREGA card holders. “Why are they doing this? We need our money and that’s why no matter what they try, we will go to Delhi.”

Hitting back at the TMC, the BJP accused the ruling party of misusing common people for political gains. “They are doing circus. They are taking common people in buses while their leaders are travelling by flight,” said BJP MP Locket Chatterjee.

BJP leader Dilip Ghosh pointed out that the TMC government repeatedly denies permissions to the opposition in West Bengal. “They don’t give us permission for anything. Whether Railways gives permission is up to them… let them (TMC) go by bus if they want to.”