TMC looted ration provided by Centre during lockdown: Smriti Irani

HOWRAH: Accusing the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal of indulging in corruption, Union minister Smriti Irani said on Sunday that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi provided foodgrains for 80 crore people of the country for eight months during the pandemic, the rations were looted by the party in the state.

Maintaining that over 50 crore man-days were created under 'Garib Rojgar Yojana' for migrant workers returning home, Irani claimed that "it did not happen in Bengal".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had in June last year launched the employment scheme for migrant workers who had returned to villages from cities, during the coronavirus lockdown, to help them get jobs near their home and help in development of villages.

"The Prime Minister provided five kg rice and one kg dal for 80 crore people of the country for eight months through 'Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana', but in Bengal, TMC looted it during the lockdown," she said addressing a BJP rally here.

Claiming that Shramik Special Trains arranged by the Centre were termed 'Corona Express' by Mamata Banerjee, Irani said, "I want to ask her whether sons and daughters from Bengal working in different parts of the country are considered viruses by her".