Union Rural Development Minister denies appointment to Trinamool Congress delegation next week

Kolkata: Union Minister for Rural Development Giriraj Singh has refused an appointment to a Trinamool Congress delegation next week.

The Trinamool Congress had sought a meeting with Giriraj Singh to discuss the issue of pending central dues to the West Bengal government under various centrally-sponsored schemes.

The Trinamool Congress had sought Singh’s appointment on October 2 or October 3, the two days when the state’s ruling party will organise a protest at Jantar Mantar in the national Capital on the issue of pending central dues.

However, the Trinamool’s national general secretary and Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee has informed that a communication has come from the office of Singh that since the Union Minister will not be at the national Capital during these two days, his meeting with the Trinamool Congress delegation will not be possible.

Banerjee said that the delegation will make an attempt to meet the Union Minister of State of the same department during that period.

Meanwhile, after being denied a special train for Trinamool Congress supporters to travel to New Delhi to participate at the demonstration at Jantar Mantar, the party leadership has arranged a number of buses for the supporters to reach the national Capital.

Abhishek Banerjee was supposed to be present at the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) Salt Lake office in Kolkata on October 3 for questioning in connection with the multi-crore cash-for-school-job case in West Bengal. However, on Friday, he said that he would not be going to the ED’s office on that day because of his preoccupations with the party’s agitation programme at Jantar Mantar.

–IANS