Senior Trinamul Congress leader Derek O’Brien has written to the Delhi Police seeking permission to set up pandals and also arrange the night stay for over 50,000 people at Ramlila Maidan grounds in central Delhi for the MGNREGA workers coming from Bengal to hold a protest at several locations in the national capital. In a letter to the DCP of the Delhi Police, O’Brien, who is also the Rajya Sabha MP said, “With reference to my letter on 30-31 August requesting for permission for the Trinamul Congress to set up pandals or tents and arrange accommodation or night stay for about 50,000 people at Ramlila Maidan from 30 September to 4 October for MGNREGA workers from Bengal who will be holding dharna at different locations in Delhi.”
“We are yet to receive a response regarding the same. Request for an update at the earliest,” he added. Earlier this month, the Trinamul Congress leader wrote a letter to the deputy commissioner of police (DCP), Parliament Street police station. Meanwhile on the same day, TMC MPs Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Derek O’Brien also wrote to Union rural development and panchayati raj minister Giriraj Singh requesting an appointment by the party delegation, led by chairperson Mamata Banerjee and national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on 3 October.
The letter mentions the delegation will be led by Ms Banerjee and will comprise Abhishek, Members of Parliament, Members of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, elected representatives of gram panchayats, panchayat samitis and zila parishads along with both the undersigned.
The delegation will discuss the critical issue of Bengal being continuously deprived of longstanding dues owed for the 100 days’ work under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, dues owed to over 11.65 lakh beneficiaries under AWAS Yojana-Gramin and other issues. The MPs also reminded the minister about an earlier visit by party’s delegation of MPs at Krishi Bhavan on 5 April but were denied the opportunity to speak to him.