BJP interfering in federal structure, TMC complains to Prez

Kolkata, Aug 23 (PTI) Trinamool Congress today submitteda memorandum to President Pranab Mukherjee, accusing theBJP-led central government of interfering in the federalstructure of the country and pursuing a "vindictive" and"step-motherly" attitude towards the state. A delegation of 10 TMC MPs from Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabhatoday met Mukherjee at Raj Bhavan here and handed over thememorandum to him. "Today we met President Pranab Mukherjee and submitteda memorandum, where we have clearly stated about theinterference of the central government in the federalstructure of the country and the state," TMC leader in LokSabha Sudip Bandyopadhyay, who led the delegation, said. "We have also told him about the vindictive and thestep-motherly attitude that the Centre is pursuing towardsWest Bengal," Bandyopadhyay told reporters after the meeting. He also charged the Centre with withholding funds ofvarious developmental projects. "The Centre is not releasing the funds worth Rs 1,700crore. It is trying to interfere in various developmentprojects. In most of the cases, except two projects, it isissuing circulars and diktats on how the project is to beimplemented and how the money is to be spent. We condemn it.Our Country has a CAG to look into all those aspects. TheCentre is conspiring against the state government," he said. "The President said he will look into the matter," saidBandyopadhyay who was accompanied by Mukul Roy, AbhishekBanerjee, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Subrata Bakshi and others. The TMC’s decision to submit a memorandum to Mukherjeecomes days after party supremo and West Bengal Chief MinisterMamata Banerjee attacked the Narendra Modi government,accusing it of bulldozing the federal structure and running aPresidential form of government. PTI PNT NNSMN