"Where Is That Money?": Mamata Banerjee On PM-CARES Donations
NDTV
Facing bypolls next week, Mamata Banerjee on Friday targeted the Centre over various issues, including the PM-CARES fund, Pegasus row and a demonstration by the BJP near her house.
Slamming the Centre over its assertion that PM-CARES was not a government fund, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday stated that complete transparency should be maintained in the transactions made with the money collected by the trust.
The PM-CARES fund bears our national emblem, but the central government has insisted that it is not a government fund, "leaving us all confused", the chief minister said, tongue in cheek.
"The Chief Minister Relief Fund is regularly audited. PM-CARES fund was formed for COVID-19, but yesterday they (Centre) told the court that it is not a government fund. Government employees have donated money there, funds through CSR have been donated there, lakhs of crores of rupees have been donated. So where is that money?" she fumed.
The Centre has informed the Delhi High Court that the PM-CARES Fund is not a government fund as donations to it do not go to the Consolidated Fund of India, and no third party information can be parted with irrespective of its status under the Constitution and the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
