Nobody has the power to change history: Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata: Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said that she will not suddenly do away with the Taj Mahal, taking a dig at the BJP against the backdrop of alleged ‘rewriting’ of history for school texts.

Banerjee was speaking at the inauguration of Dhanadhanyo Auditorium in Kolkata's Alipore when she took on the BJP, adding that nobody has the power to change history and India’s history is India’s treasure.

The West Bengal Chief minister waxed lyrical about India’s secularism, saying it is Bengal’s treasure.

She attributed the emergence of India’s secularism to eminent personalities including Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore, Raja Ram Mohun Roy among others.

The Chief Minister said she owns nothing and all her ideas have come from the people, adding that she never wants to be misunderstood by people.

Banerjee accused the Centre of withholding the funds allocated to the state taking revenge for the BJP’s failure in 2021 state polls.

The chief minister said that she would not go to Delhi to beg for funds, instead she would rather manage it with people’s blessings and cooperation.

The BJP previously countered Mamata’s charge saying funds to the state was withheld following widespread corruption in the implementation of schemes.

Meanwhile, Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra told reporters that MGNREGS was set up for supporting the poorest of the poor with at least 100 days of guaranteed employment.

She added that since December 2021, West Bengal has been denied ₹ 7,500 crore in MGNREGS payments and ₹ 2,800 crores out it relates to wage payment.

Withholding of funds left 17 lakh families in suffering for over a year, Mahua Moitra said.