Mamata Banerjee writes to PM Modi about inadequate fertilisers

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has reached out to the Centre regarding the issue of fertiliser in the state. She said the farming community is facing a crisis because Bengal is getting only one-third of the allotted quota from the Centre.

"We are not getting adequate quantities of fertilisers. This is causing great hardship to our farmers. I would urge the opposition to raise the issue with the union fertiliser minister," she said in the assembly. After the CM left, BJP MLAs demanded an adjournment motion be taken up to debate spiralling fertiliser prices and alleged black marketing. Speaker Biman Bandyopadhyay turned down the demand.

BJP legislators led by opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari and Asansol South MLA Agnimitra Paul shouted slogans and trooped out when the first session ended. Adhikari told the media: "I have irrefutable evidence to show how despite the large allocation of funds from the Centre, the ruling party functionaries in villages are pocketing at least 50% of the fertiliser allocation and selling those at high prices in the open market. We cannot support corruption. The government should first take strong action against the TMC leaders at the local level."

He further claimed all those who were involved in corruption will be put behind bars by December.

TMC state spokesperson Kunal Ghosh responded by saying Adhikari "himself is involved in scams" and joined the BJP to "escape arrests" by central agencies. He added that the opposition leader has no right to lecture on corruption. West Bengal minister and senior TMC leader Sashi Panja accused the BJP of regularly disrupting the House and not wanting to discuss development issues.