Mamata Banerjee Government "Looted" Financial Aid Provided After Cyclone Amphan: Dilip Ghosh

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) West Bengal chief Dilip Ghosh on Tuesday lashed out at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleging her government "looted" the sanctioned financial assistance of Rs 1,000 crore provided by the union government last year for immediate relief after the Cyclone Amphan hit the state.

"Rs 1,000 crore financial assistance that was provided by the union government for the people affected by Cyclone Amphan last year has not reached the needy yet. The people of her party 'looted' people's money," Mr Ghosh said.

Hitting out at Ms Banerjee, he further said that when the central government asked the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) to investigate the matter, she ran to the High Court to prevent this.

"The people in the state no longer trust the state government, so they will definitely bring change in the state," he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited West Bengal in May after the cyclone Amphan hit and had sanctioned financial assistance of Rs 1,000 crores for immediate relief to the state.

Taking a jibe at Ms Banerjee's statement that BJP's Gujarat Governance will not be allowed here in Bengal state, Mr Ghosh said, "There will be the development of the state like Gujarat. There will be employment in the state so that the people here do not have to migrate to Gujarat."

"The statements by Mamata Banerjee show her frustration," he added.

The upcoming state elections in West Bengal are slated to take place in 2021 for 294 Assembly seats.