The Centre has stopped funds for West Bengal’s medical schemes as a result of it desires all well being centres to be painted saffron, chief minister Mamata Banerjee alleged on Sunday earlier than leaving for Delhi the place she is scheduled to fulfill Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demand the discharge of Central funds for numerous social welfare programmes.

“The Prime Minister has given me an appointment at 11am on December 20. They (Centre) have stopped funds for the health department. They want all health centres to be painted saffron. Why should we do that? Blue and white is the official colour of our state. These are not political colours,” Banerjee advised the media on the Kolkata airport.

In Bengal, all authorities buildings, bridges and even street dividers are painted blue and white. Owners of personal buildings are supplied a deduction on property tax in the event that they use these colors.

Targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Banerjee stated: “Do we have to use the BJP’s colour everywhere? They will decide what people will wear and what they will eat. They will change syllabi and put rubbish in it. All this is part of a well-devised plan to disturb the minds of people. We are raising our voices. We will raise these issues.”

Also Read: ‘Parliament security breach serious matter’: Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

Reacting to Banerjee’s accusation, Bengal BJP’s chief spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya stated, “If she sees BJP in the saffron colour then tomorrow she may make the same accusation against the Ramakrishna Mission and Bharat Sevashram Sangha. The Centre wants uniformity in health services across the county and it is not limited to the colour of the buildings. The Centre has set strict guidelines and rules as well.”

Banerjee, who can also be the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson, stated she’s going to attend the assembly of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) coalition of opposition events in Delhi on December 19.

“They (Centre) stopped funds for the Banglar Bari housing scheme after sanctioning 11,00,000 (1.1 million) houses. They are not giving us our share of GST. I met the Prime Minster earlier also to discuss these. Abhishek Banerjee staged agitations in Delhi. I staged an agitation at the state legislative assembly,” she added.

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) housing scheme for the poor has been named Banglar Bari by the TMC authorities triggering objections from the Centre.

TMC common secretary and Mamata’s nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, with several other party leaders and workers, had in October staged a two-day protest in Delhi towards the denial of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and housing scheme funds to the West Bengal authorities.

“They do not give the entire money. We bear part of it too,” Mamata stated.

The Bengal CM additionally attacked the Centre over the Parliament safety breach. “There was a security lapse. The (Union) home minister has admitted that. It is a serious matter. We do not compromise on security issues.

Speaking about the suspension of MPs from the Rajya Sabha Mamata said that they were suspended because they raised the issue of security breach.

“Our members of Parliament have already raised it and that’s why Derek O’Brien and many MPs from DMK [Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam] and other parties have been suspended,” she stated.

Although it has been discovered that Lalit Jha, one of many alleged conspirators, used to reside in Kolkata along with his household, Banerjee stated Bengal has no hyperlink to the incident as alleged by BJP.

“This has no Bengali link. Investigations are on. They (police) have gone to Jharkhand and other states. Unlike them (BJP) we don’t talk nonsense. We make statements based on facts,” she stated.

The TMC authorities has been demanding the discharge of Central funds for tasks corresponding to MGNREGA and PMAY. These had been suspended following allegations of mismanagement and corruption.

During her latest tour of north Bengal districts, Banerjee repeatedly accused the Centre of marginalising the state.

Addressing individuals in Siliguri on December 13, she stated, “The Centre has stopped funds for rural employment projects, village roads and health schemes. What crime has Bengal done? They are not giving our share of funds for schemes that help backward classes and minorities.”