Withdraw FRDI Bill or will launch nationwide protest: Mamata Banerjee

Taking on the Centre, Mamata also said it should learn from her administration how to usher in development. “We are building 13,000 km of rural roads, have completed construction of 25 lakh houses, providing free healthcare and giving rice at Rs 2 per kg by procuring the same at Rs 20 per kg. They must learn from us how to usher in development. They only talk and make tall promises but we always keep promises made to the people,” she said.

Stating that since 2011, over 13,571 km of roads have been constructed, Mamata said construction of 35,000 km of roads will be completed by December 2019. Slamming Centre’s Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao scheme, Mamata said: “The total allocation under this yojana for the entire country is just Rs 100 crore, which means each state will not even get Rs 3 crore. Whereas our government has already spent Rs 5,000 crore under Kanyashree scheme since its inception.”

On the Centre’s new universal health scheme, the CM said, “The Centre has decided that 40 per cent of the total amount of the scheme will have to be borne by states. Why was such a decision taken without consulting the states? We already have our own health schemes. The Centre cannot force us to pay.” She again alleged that the Centre had stopped 90 per cent of its funds for the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and other development programmes for farmers, poor and the middle class.

“But we have not stopped a single project and have kept all of them alive by contributing adequate funds from our own resources, despite financial constraints,” the Trinamool chief added. Mamata, meanwhile, cautioned the people against the “divisive politics” of BJP ahead of the panchayat polls. “To suit its political interest, BJP instigates riots. It is not bothered whether people die or their houses are burnt. Do not listen to them.” Maintaining that there is no need to “learn Hinduism from BJP”, she said: “They are insulting Hinduism by scattering idols of Hindu gods and goddesses on the road. They are trying to divide the people along religious lines.”