West Bengal’s ruling Left Front hits out at Rahul Gandhi

KOLKATA - West Bengal’s ruling Left Front partners Monday lashed out against Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi for saying that central funds were not reaching people of the state, and asked why Gandhi had kept mum on the Commonwealth Games scam.

“Whatever Rahul Gandhi has said is from his own political viewpoint. We are not supposed to listen to lectures from Rahul Gandhi. He should rather concentrate on strengthening his own party,” said Kshiti Goswami, senior Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) leader and state minister.

Gandhi, while addressing the Congress rally, blamed the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) for the state’s backwardness and the deteriorating condition of the poor.

“There are to West Bengals. One is the West Bengal for the CPI-M (leaders and workers) which has money. The other Bengal is for you, for the poor and the backward,” he said.

Gandhi also alleged that funds sent by the central government for projects like the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) were not reaching the people, he said: “The money goes to the CPI-M and then it vanishes.”

The state government rubbished the allegations and mocked Rahul Gandhi.”He is not aware of the facts due to his busy schedule.’

“All the money has been spent and we are asking for more. But we have not got the money for over a month. I think he is not aware of the facts and data due to his busy schedule,” said state finance minister Asim Dasgupta.

“Why is Rahul Gandhi mum on the issue of Commonwealth Games scam? We have not seen him uttering a single word on this issue,” asked Mohammed Salim, CPI-M leader.