Modi gave more money to Bengal than UPA govt: Smriti Irani

Joynagar: Union minister Smriti Irani on Thursday said the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre gave more funds to West Bengal than the previous Congress regime.

Speaking at a rally in South 24 Paraganas district, Ms Irani said the UPA government gave Rs 1 lakh crore to the state, while the Modi government gave Rs 2.80 lakh crore under the 14th Finance Commission.

The senior BJP leader also hit out at chief minister Mamata Banerjee for spurning the Centre’s heathcare scheme Ayushman Bharat. “Ask Mamata Banerjee why she is averse to Ayushman Bharat healthcare scheme under which poor people of the state can avail of Rs 5 lakh per family for treatment purposes,” she said.

Stating that 2.26 lakh people in the state have benefitted from the Jan Dhan Yojana apart from other Central schemes, Ms Irani slammed Ms Banerjee for being “most ungrateful” to the Centre.

She also took a dig at the Trinamul Congress chief for trying to form alliance with parties, which she said did not cooperate with her for coming to power.

Ms Irani said the BJP workers tolerated the torture of Congress, TMC and CPI(M) in the state and called upon people to elect Prime Minister Narendra Modi once again. “Ar ekbar Modi sarkar (Modi government once again),” she said.

At Krishnagar, Ms Irani said that the people of Bengal are compelled to pay the “tolabaji tax” (extortion money) from “birth to death.” The party’s state president Dilip Ghosh and senior leaders Mukul Roy and Rahul Sinha were present at the rallies.