TMC MPs Abhishek Banerjee, Mahua Moitra 'dragged, manhandled' by Delhi Police amid protest over central funds release: TMC alleges
New Delhi/IBNS: Trinamool Congress MPs Abhishek Banerjee and Mahua Moitra Tuesday alleged that they along with some other leaders from her party were "manhandled and mercilessly dragged" away by cops on Day 2 of their protest in Delhi over the release of central funds.
The Trinamool Congress, which was holding a dharna at the Union Rural Development Ministry, claimed that the Minister of State Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti refused to meet them saying she would not meet more than five representatives.
"Today 02:30 hours was wasted. I left the office at 08:30 while waiting for the Trinamool MPs. According to my information, the delegation of Trinamool MPs and Bengal ministers had taken an appointment in the office at 06:00," the Minister tweeted.
"But later they wanted to meet, presenting Trinamool workers as public, which was against the office system. They backed away from the scheduled topics of the meeting because the intention was not to meet but to do politics. This is a very shameful incident done by Trinamool leaders," Niranjan said.
Sorry @SadhviNiranjan you are a lying so and so (and I am being polite). You gave our delegation an appointment . You vetted all names, checked each one off before allowing us to enter, made us wait 3 hrs & then ran away via the back door. https://t.co/tZ68Qgss0G
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) October 3, 2023
The Trinamool leaders, who had brought with them bundles of letters addressed to the Prime Minister and the Rural Development Minister, refused to leave till the Minister met them.
Led by Mamata Banerjee's nephew and party MP Abhishek Banerjee, a group of party MPs, and state cabinet ministers sat on a dharna, which dragged on till 9 pm.
At this point, claims the party, the police broke up the protest and detained several leaders.
"This is how elected MPs of the world’s largest democracy are treated after being given an appointment to meet with a Minister of the Govt of India (which she refused to honour after making us wait 3 hours) Shame @narendramodi shame @AmitShah," Mahua Moitra tweeted.
This is how elected MPs of the world’s largest democracy are treated after being given an appointment to meet with a Minister of the Govt of India (which she refused to honour after making us wait 3 hours)
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) October 3, 2023
Shame @narendramodi shame @AmitShah pic.twitter.com/cmx6ZzFxBu
In another video released by the TMC, Abhishek Banerjee could also be seen dragged along with some other leaders of the party. Rajya Sabha MP Derek O' Brien was put into a bus and taken away.
Breaking:
— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) October 3, 2023
TMC MPs & Bengal Govt Ministers led by @abhishekaitc have just now been manhandled & mercilessly dragged from the Min of Rural Development by Delhi Police & DETAINED.
This also includes 4 poor MNREGA workers from Bengal who had come to place their grievance before… pic.twitter.com/UolUZ3iNJr
Moitra later tweeted to say that they all are being detained till night in a camp with no paperwork.
We are all being detained at Queensway Camp now. Lady MPs being held after sunset in a police line . No paperwork.
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) October 3, 2023
The ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal has accused the BJP-led NDA government of withholding Rs. 15,000 crore in dues to the state under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and PM Awas Yojana.
The BJP has rejected the charge and accused the Trinamool of doing a "drama" in Delhi to divert attention from the scams in West Bengal.
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