NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kalyan Banerjee and members of the treasury benches had a heated exchange in Lok Sabha on Tuesday over the stoppage of MNREGA funds for West Bengal.
During Question Hour, Banerjee said that the benefits of the MNREGA scheme were not reaching the state.
“The constant stand by the ministry is 25 lakh cases of fraud have been detected. We are saying you take immediate steps, investigate, initiate criminal proceedings and arrest but you cannot stop funds for 10 crore people because of 25 lakh cases. If there is corruption why are you not acting,” he said.
He also criticized Union minister Giriraj Singh, asking, “you are a central minister, you are behaving like this…who made you minister?”
The Trinamool Congress MP was questioning the Centre on why Bengal was “deprived” of MGNREGA benefits for three years and made these remarks.
His remarks led to strong objections from treasury bench members. Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal objected to the language used by Banerjee.
Meanwhile, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla asked members to address the chair instead of reacting to comments among themselves.
“Choose your words wisely, if someone is saying anything unofficially, do not respond to it,” Birla said.
Earlier, while replying to the debate on the Union Budget 2025-26, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said that 25 lakh fake job cards under MNREGA were found and that funds meant for people at the grassroots had been “looted” by TMC cadres.
