A bus carrying Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) job cardholders from West Bengal to Delhi for a protest met with an accident in Jharkhand’s Kodarma on Sunday.
Fortunately, there were no casualties, but several TMC workers sustained minor injuries when the bus veered off the road, ending up in a field adjacent to the highway. They quickly transported the injured workers back to Purulia town in West Bengal for necessary medical attention.
The purpose of this journey was to join a protest in Delhi scheduled from October 2-3, organized by the TMC against the BJP-led Central government. The protest aims to address concerns about the alleged withholding of funds for Bengal under the MGNREGA scheme.
The Eastern Railway had previously rejected the TMC’s request for a special train to facilitate their supporters’ travel to the planned demonstration, leading to the arrangement of buses for the journey.
Senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee will lead the party workers in the protest in New Delhi. He emphasizes their stance against the Central government’s handling of MGNREGA funds and other Central government-sponsored initiatives. Over 4,000 individuals are expected to participate, traveling to the national capital in a convoy of 25 buses as part of this program.
Following the accident, BJP leader Sukanta Majumdar expressed his concerns through a post on social media and reportedly offered assistance to the injured TMC workers.
In response, TMC leader Shashi Panja criticized Majumdar, highlighting that it was the BJP’s actions that compelled their party to organize buses after the railway denied their request for a train. She emphasized the importance of addressing the funding issues affecting the rural population in Bengal and urged for cooperation rather than blame in this critical matter.