Mamata Banerjee slams Centre, alleges discrimination against West Bengal over COVID funds

Following the Chief Ministers’ meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 11, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said that the states must be provided with what they deserve, including pending GST and finances for social schemes.

Cornering the Central Government over the plight of migrants amid nationwide lockdown, Mamata said migrant workers who are stranded far from their native places without labour, are struggling to fill their stomachs.

"We requested the government but the Centre did not give us anything at all. The Centre should give us at least what we deserve such as social schemes, GST. Forget about the special package, we did not get even a normal package," Mamata said during a press conference.

READ | 3-month Plan Needed To Deal With COVID-19 Crisis, Steps To Be Taken To Revive Economy: Mamata

'Centre did not provide a relief package'

The West Bengal CM also accused the Centre of “discrimination against the state,” saying that they are always left empty-handed. She added that her Government has not received the said Rs 52,000 crore from the Centre to fight COVID-19. Mamata Banerjee said if the Modi government had planned the lockdown properly and operated special trains before the lockdown, the situation would have been fair.

"I told PM that announcing lockdown without planning has put us in a problem. But I can challenge, that we have developed West Bengal's health infrastructure in such a way that no one could compete with us. The central government does not cooperate with us still we have everything," the West Bengal CM added.

READ | CM Mamata's Bengal Govt Replaces Health Secretary Amid Row Over COVID-19 Data

Red zone divided into three categories

Earlier in the day, Mamata Banerjee said that the red zones in West Bengal will be divided into three categories, adding that no changes will be in the containment zones.

"Red zones in the state will be further divided into categories A, B and C. Zone A will have no relaxations, zone B will have some relaxations with adherence to social distancing and zone C will comprise areas outside containment zones. Essential goods and services will be available in zone C," she said.

District magistrates, along with senior police personnel, will decide on reopening of shops and availability of services in red zones, the chief minister said, adding that buses and taxis will be allowed to ply only in green zones.

(With inputs from agency; Image credits - PTI)

READ | Mamata Trying To Shift Blame On Centre To Hide Her Own Failures: BJP

READ | 'Mamata Is Scared' Vs 'BJP Is Speaking Nonsense': Bengal Twitter War Explodes Amid Covid