Kolkata, West Bengal, May 29: West Bengal Minister Dilip Ghosh on Friday launched a sharp attack on the Trinamool Congress (TMC), alleging that large-scale corruption within the party is pushing it “towards collapse.” He accused TMC leaders of siphoning off funds meant for central and state welfare schemes and asserted that those responsible must face legal consequences.
Speaking to reporters, Ghosh said corruption is pervasive within the ruling party. “Corruption is prevailing in TMC from top to bottom. Step by step, the whole organisation is heading towards collapse. TMC leaders made fortunes for themselves by looting poor people’s money from central and state schemes. They must be brought to justice,” he said.
Referring to state welfare programmes such as Lakshmi Bhandar and Annapurna Bhandar, Ghosh stressed that only Indian citizens are eligible for such benefits. Linking the eligibility criteria to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), he said the law is intended for Hindu refugees from Bangladesh and Pakistan who have not yet acquired Indian citizenship.“It’s not just about schemes like Lakshmi Bhandar or Annapurna. Any benefit provided by the Central or State government requires the recipient to be an Indian citizen. For those who haven’t obtained citizenship, especially Hindu refugees from Bangladesh or Pakistan—there is the CAA,” Ghosh stated.
Urging people to complete their citizenship registration formalities, he warned that non-citizens would otherwise be excluded from welfare schemes. “They should register, and they will receive the benefits. All non-citizens will be deprived of these facilities and will be expelled from the country; that process has started,” he claimed.
Targeting the previous functioning of the TMC administration, Ghosh alleged that several state-run organisations were intentionally fragmented to enable job racketeering, bribery, and looting. Citing the example of Haringhata, he said, “I saw the pathetic condition there. Mother Dairy, which once produced six lakh litres of milk daily, now produces only 30,000 litres. Even that has been diverted under ‘Bangla Dairy’ solely for looting.
Organisations were split into two or three parts just to facilitate job scams and bribery. This was done by ministers and their associates.”Ghosh’s remarks come amid intensifying political tensions in West Bengal, with corruption and governance emerging as major flashpoints ahead of upcoming electoral cycles.