New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamatha Benerjee’s ideology had destroyed the State. He made allegations on the Mamatha Benerjee, her Government blocking a Central benefit scheme for farmers in the State, because of its political agenda.

Modi in his speech he said he distributed ₹ 18,000 crores to over nine crore farmers against the backdrop of unrelenting protests near Delhi over three new farm laws. He also interacted with farmers from nine states.

PM Modi wondered why there were agitations in Bengal against the farm bills yet no protests were visible against the state government’s decision to not implement the PM-KISAN scheme, in which ₹ 6,000 a year is provided to small and marginal farmers, payable in installments of ₹ 2,000 each. The fund is transferred directly to bank accounts.

The State Government denying funds to 70 lakh farmers in West Bengal under the flagship PM-KISAN scheme, he said. He also accused her doing politics by blocking the scheme to provide farmers ₹ 6,000 every year under this scheme. PM also said “If you listen to a 15-year-old speech of Mamata Ji, then you will know how much her ideology has ruined Bengal”.

“The public is watching those doing selfish politics very closely. The parties that do not speak on the benefit of farmers in West Bengal are engaged in harassing the citizens of Delhi here in the name of the farmers and are ruining the economy of the country”, he said. According to PM, more than 23 lakh Bengal farmers had applied online to take advantage of this scheme, but the state government has stopped the verification process.

“The entire country is benefiting from the PM-KISAN programme but only one state, West Bengal, has not implemented this scheme. As a result, over 70 lakh farmers are not able to take benefit of this scheme and this money is not reaching them. This is because of politics,” Modi said.