Nirmala Sitharaman Slams West Bengal Govt Over Sandeshkhali Incident, Says TMC Knows Shajahan Sheikhs Whereabouts

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman criticized the West Bengal government for its handling of the Sandeshkhali incident, claiming that the ruling TMC party is aware of absconding leader Shajahan Sheikhs location. She expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order situation and highlighted crimes and sexual abuse cases in the region.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched a scathing attack on the West Bengal government, led by the Trinamool Congress (TMC), over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state. Speaking at a program in Kolkata, Sitharaman expressed her shock and dismay over the crimes and incidents of sexual abuse that have taken place in Sandeshkhali, a riverine area in North 24 Parganas district.

Concerns Over Sandeshkhali Incidents

Sitharaman expressed her deep concern about the audacity of the state administration in failing to arrest Shajahan Sheikh, a TMC leader from Sandeshkhali, who is accused of sexual abuse and land grab. She highlighted the fact that Sheikh has been absconding since January 5, when a mob attacked Enforcement Directorate officials during a raid at his residence in connection with an alleged ration scam.

TMC's Prediction of Arrest

Sitharaman criticized the TMC leadership's statement that Sheikh would be arrested within the next seven days, calling it an indication that the government knows his whereabouts. She questioned why opposition parties are not allowed to visit Sandeshkhali while TMC ministers have access, highlighting the compromised law and order situation in the state.

Allegations of Depriving the Poor

The Union Finance Minister further accused the TMC government of depriving the poor of the benefits of central government schemes for political reasons. She claimed that issues like poor law and order, corruption, and economic mismanagement have become synonymous with TMC rule in West Bengal.

MGNREGA Dues Controversy

Sitharaman addressed the TMC's allegations that the Union government is withholding MGNREGA dues of Bengal. She questioned how the Centre could release funds when there are 25 lakh fake job card holders in the state. She accused the state government of failing to recover money from these fake job card holders and attempting to pay from the treasury, which she termed as cheating the taxpayer.

Economic Mismanagement and Corruption

The Union Minister highlighted the economic mismanagement of successive state governments in West Bengal, leading to a decline in the state's growth rate. She pointed out that West Bengal's rank fell to 23 in terms of growth rate across the country, with lower growth rates compared to the national average in the past two decades.

Focus on Eastern India

Sitharaman emphasized the central government's commitment to making eastern India the growth engine of the country. She stressed the need for rigorous implementation of Union government schemes to benefit farmers and fishermen in West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, and Bihar.

TMC's Response

The ruling TMC dismissed Sitharaman's allegations as baseless, accusing her of speaking like a BJP leader rather than a finance minister. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh asserted that the Centre has immorally withheld the state's dues and that the state government has decided to clear the MGNREGA dues. He accused the BJP of trying to hide its failures by making such allegations.

The issue of the center allegedly withholding the state’s dues amounting to Rs 1.18 lakh crores has been a major political issue in West Bengal, with TMC levelling allegations of a financial blockade being imposed on the state by the Centre.