West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra on Sunday, 27 December, hit out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging that the duo should apologise to people for running a "disinformation campaign" against the state.
WHAT DID AMIT MITRA SAY?
Mitra, in a tweet, on Sunday cited data from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, stating that GDP and growth in industry, services and agriculture sectors have increased in the state as opposed to the national rate.
In his tweet, Mitra said:
“PM-HM’s shameful DISINFORMATION campaign on Bengal CAUGHT red-handed by their own Central Statistical Orgn! Chart EXPOSES how India growth rates hit bottom under duo, while growth under MamataB soared in Bengal: GDP, Industry,Services, Agri. So, Apologise to people of Bengal. (Sic)”
WHAT DOES THE DATA SHOW?
The data of the Statistics and Programme Implementation Ministry shows that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country was 4.18 percent while the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of West Bengal was 7.26 percent.
Further, it also showed that Gross Value Added (GVA) of the country was recorded at 3.89 percent while that of West Bengal was ahead at 7.39 percent.
BACKGROUND
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Friday, 25 December, accused the Mamata Banerjee government in Bengal of blocking a central benefit scheme for farmers because of its political agenda and denying funds to 70 lakh farmers in the state under the flagship PM-KISAN scheme.
PM Modi, according to NDTV, also alleged that Mamata Banerjee's ideology had "destroyed" Bengal and, reportedly accused the chief minister of "doing politics" by blocking the scheme to provide farmers Rs 6,000 every year under ''Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi'' (PM-KISAN).
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)