West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday came down heavily on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for creating a ruckus in the state Assembly during the Budget Session. West Bengal Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya presented the budget for 2024-25 with a slew of policies for social welfare and employment generation, even as she accused the Centre of imposing a “financial blockade” on the state.
As BJP MLAs create a ruckus in the State Assembly, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said, "If the Opposition has any opinion, they can discuss it after the completion of the Budget. They have the freedom to express their opinion but this is not a BJP party office. This is not the space for Opposition to do politics. People have the right to know what work we have done. We condemn this dirty politics. They are against the State, anti-Bengal. They don't want good for the people of Bengal. Aren't you ashamed that you are not allowing us to present the Budget?"
"Your opinion can be expressed in your speech but this is not your BJP party office, this is the Assembly. They should remember that they have suspended 147 MPs from Parliament but we do not want to go down that path. You can be weak but we are not, we will fight it out. If you have the courage, speak after Budget presentation, not before that," she added.
Additional 4% DA for state government employees
The Mamata Banerjee government also announced an additional 4 per cent dearness allowance (DA) for state government employees from May, in addition to the 4 per cent that was declared in January. Bhattacharya said her government introduced a 'Gender and Child Budget Statement' in this year's budget.
