Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan accuses the TMC government in West Bengal of misusing central funds and destroying the state's education system, sparking a political row ahead of the assembly elections.
Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday accused the TMC government in West Bengal of diverting central funds towards party activities, asserting that the state's education system has been "destroyed".
Pradhan was addressing the media at Kolkata's Kalighat temple, where he joined BJP's Rashbehari candidate Swapan Dasgupta to offer prayers.
"The central government extended funds for mid-day meals, books and dresses. All that money was spent on party activities. Education in Bengal has been destroyed," he claimed.
The Union Education Minister said Bengal's academic legacy, shaped by luminaries like Swami Vivekananda and Rabindranath Tagore, had been "ruined" over 45 years of successive "misrule", comprising three decades of the Left and 15 years of the TMC under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The ruling TMC rejected the allegations as baseless, and accused the Centre of withholding nearly Rs 2 lakh crore dues of Bengal meant for several welfare projects.
Pradhan also alleged that the teacher recruitment process in the state had either been stalled or mired in corruption.
The Union minister exuded confidence that Dasgupta will win by a large margin in Rashbehari.
"Mamata Banerjee's misrule is certain to end," Pradhan asserted.
Pradhan said the upcoming assembly polls is centred on the idea of a "fear-free Bengal", with the BJP's vision focused on jobs for the youth and safety of women.
On the issue of revision of voter rolls and infiltration, Pradhan said, "Whose votes should count in Bengal, the infiltrators or the Bengali-speaking people?"
Elections to the 294-member West Bengal assembly will be held in two phases - on April 23 and April 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.