West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) only considers those who are sent to Bengal from other states to create trouble as outsiders. She also said that those from other states who are living in Bengal for ages are considered as her “own people.”
Speaking at a rally in Bishnupur in Bankura district, the TMC supremo said that those from other states who are living in Bengal for generations are an “integral part” of Bengal.
“But those tilak sporting, pan massala chewing people from states such as Uttar Pradesh who come to Bengal to create trouble before elections are outsider goons. We will continue to call them outsider goons,” said Mamata.
Her comments come hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed her for labeling BJP leaders as “outsider” and said that if the BJP is voted to power in Bengal, a “son of the soil” will be the Chief Minister.
Lashing out at Modi, the TMC supremo said that although she has great respect for the Prime Minister’s post, but has never seen a "liar" like Modi.
Mamata raised questions on the Prime Minister’s poll promise of depositing Rs 15 lakh in everyone’s bank account and LPG cylinders' high price. She also asked what was the fate of the Centre’s Ujjwala scheme and what was the reson behind scarcity of kerosene.
Accusing the Prime Minister of failing to keep his poll promises, Mamata said that the “Centre’s Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme has failed. Unlike Modi, when I make a promise, I fulfill it.” She also said that the TMC government has successfully implemented schemes such as Sabuj Sathi, Kanyashree and Swasthya Sathi.
“Why are Narendra Modi and Amit Shah silent even as farmers are agitating on the streets for months? Why are spikes being laid at the farmers’ protest site? Is the Prime Minister only concerned about safeguarding the interests of a large industrial group and not about farmers?” asked Mamata.
Scoffing at the BJP’s promise of implementing the Seventh Pay Commission in Bengal if voted to power, Mamata said that the BJP should first come clean on why the PSUs are being shut down leaving thousands of employees facing possible unemployment.