West Bengal's BJP Government Cuts Minority Affairs, Madrasa Education Allocation in First Budget Since Taking Office

Kolkata: The BJP government in West Bengal has drastically cut funding for the Minority Affairs and Madrasa Education Department in its very first budget since coming to power. Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta has allocated only Rs 2,165.42 crore for the department in the budget for the 2026-27 financial year.

This marks a sharp reduction from the Rs 5,713 crore allocated in the previous Trinamool Congress government's last budget. The BJP, which had strongly criticised the previous government for allocating large sums to the minority affairs department while in opposition, has now cut the budgetary allocation by more than half after forming the government.

Leader of the Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee accused the BJP government of abandoning the Prime Minister's slogan of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas." He pointed out that previous governments had allocated between Rs 5,000 crore and Rs 5,600 crore for this department.

However, the new budget has slashed the amount by more than half, which Banerjee described as deeply unfortunate. Trinamool Congress MLA Kunal Ghosh also criticised the government's move, saying the Mamata Banerjee government had implemented numerous welfare schemes for all communities, including minorities, and that the new budget was anti-people in nature.