Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Apr 4: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of attempting to mislead women voters, urging them not to share bank account details over fears of financial fraud.
Addressing a public rally, Banerjee claimed that BJP workers could visit homes pretending to represent the West Bengal government or the Trinamool Congress (TMC), asking for bank account information under the guise of providing financial benefits.
“Mothers and sisters, stay alert. The BJP people will come to your homes in the name of the West Bengal government, in the name of the TMC government, and ask for your bank account number, saying they'll give you money. Don’t give them your account number, even by mistake; they'll take away the money from your Lakshmi Bhandar. This is their trick,” she said.
Banerjee highlighted the state government’s Lakshmi Bhandar scheme, launched in 2021, which provides monthly financial aid—Rs 1,200 for women from SC/ST households and Rs 1,000 for others aged 25–60. She claimed the scheme had benefited women and warned that BJP promises could be temporary and misleading.
The Chief Minister also criticised the Indian National Congress for failing to coordinate with TMC on electoral issues, alleging that Congress did not join TMC in raising protests before the Election Commission.
Banerjee raised concerns about election-related cash circulation and urged voters to remain vigilant. During a previous rally in Purulia, she accused the BJP of interfering with Bengal’s food culture and religious practices, claiming the party opposed the consumption of fish, meat, and eggs, and cited instances of exploitation and attacks in BJP-ruled states.
She further criticised Union Home Minister Amit Shah, alleging that the BJP leadership had a history of communal violence, referring to past riots in Gujarat, and questioned their moral authority to accuse TMC of wrongdoing.
Banerjee’s remarks align with the TMC’s broader campaign narrative portraying the BJP as culturally insensitive and disconnected from Bengal’s traditions.