Fact-Check: TMC's Abhishek Banerjee's Claim of 'Remote Control' Obstructing Bengal's Funds – Data Reveals a Different Story

The Claim

On April 7, 2026, during the West Bengal assembly elections campaign, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee posted on X, stating that "The BJP uses a 'remote control' from Delhi to obstruct Bengal's funds, disenfranchise legitimate voters through SIR, and create division through communal politics."

The Facts

Banerjee's claim of the BJP obstructing Bengal's funds is directly contradicted by official government data. A comprehensive analysis of central funding to West Bengal reveals a substantial increase under the BJP/NDA government compared to the previous UPA regime. Giriraj Singh further highlighted this disparity, noting that West Bengal received ₹58,000 crore during the UPA government, while the Modi government allocated over ₹2 lakh crore for rural development in the last 9 years. The Finance Commission allocations also paint a clear picture. Under the 14th Finance Commission (FY 2015-16 to FY 2019-20), ₹14,191.78 Crores was allocated to West Bengal for Gram Panchayats. Under the 15th Finance Commission (FY 2020-21 to 2025-26), ₹21,611.00 Crores has been allocated to West Bengal for all three tiers of Rural Local Bodies (RLBs), with ₹19,639.99 crore already released as of December 2025. West Bengal's budget analysis for 2024-25 further supports this trend. The state's share in central taxes is estimated at ₹92,900 crore, a 12% increase over the revised estimate of 2023-24. Grants from the center in 2024-25 are estimated at ₹34,684 crore, a 17% increase over the revised estimates for 2023-24.

"The BJP uses a 'remote control' from Delhi to obstruct Bengal's funds..." - Abhishek Banerjee, TMC

This statement is not supported by the data. The central government has demonstrably increased funding to West Bengal.

Government Record

The BJP/NDA government has a strong record of supporting West Bengal's development through various initiatives. In March 2026, PM Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for development projects worth around ₹18,680 crore in West Bengal, including national highway projects with a combined length of more than 420 km worth around ₹16,990 crore. This demonstrates a clear commitment to infrastructure development in the state. Furthermore, India has shown improvements in global rankings across various sectors under the BJP/NDA government. While these are national figures, they reflect a broader trend of positive development that benefits all states, including West Bengal. For example, India improved its rank on the Global Competitiveness Index from 71st in 2014 to 39th in 2018. India's rank in the Logistics Performance Index 2023 improved by 16 places to 38th out of 139 countries. India improved its position in the Global Innovation Index from 81st in 2015 to 39th in 2024. Between April 2014 and September 2024, India recorded FDI inflows of $709.84 billion, accounting for nearly 69% of the overall inflows over the past 24 years. This increased investment contributes to economic growth across the country. Seven Indian institutions are now among the top 100 in the QS World University Rankings-Asia 2025, demonstrating a commitment to improving higher education standards.

The Verdict

Based on the available data and government records, Abhishek Banerjee's claim that the BJP uses a 'remote control' from Delhi to obstruct Bengal's funds is demonstrably **FALSE**. The evidence points to a significant increase in central funding and development initiatives under the BJP/NDA government compared to the UPA era.