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‘Think he likes the name’: Mamata Banerjee responds to PM’s barbs about INDIA
Mamata Banerjee responded to PM Modi’s stinging barbs at the 26-party opposition grouping for its choice of a name for the alliance
KOLKATA: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s stinging barbs at their choice of a name for the opposition grouping, Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), saying that she thinks the prime minister likes the name.
“Thanks to our Prime Minister. I think he likes the name INDIA and has accepted it. Even the people have accepted it…. The media always asks him question. He needs to say something and hence he has said this,” Banerjee told reporters who sought her reaction to PM Modi’s barbs.
At a closed-door meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday, PM Modi, according to BJP leaders, said the opposition grouping was directionless and asserted that people would not be misled just because the alliance had been named INDIA, citing the usage in East India Company, which colonised India, and the Indian Mujahideen, a terror group which carried out serial blasts in the country, and the banned group, Popular Front of India.
“It is a new India...which will not allow itself to be fooled,” PM Modi said, describing the grouping as a collection of corrupt leaders and parties.
Mamata Banerjee, who was asked about the prime minister’s reported comments, said: When the Indian team takes the field and start playing the game, do we shout Mujahideen to cheer them? The more slanderous remarks they (BJP) make against INDIA, the more it would appear that they liked the name”..
The chief minister, who met West Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose at Raj Bhavan, said the government did not have any pending bills to pass.
“The assembly session has started. We don’t have any ready bills to pass in the assembly at the moment as all have bene passed. But we still need to hold assembly sessions. I came to meet the Governor and told him that there may be two finance bills,” she said without divulging the details of the two bills.
The assembly proceedings were adjourned for the day due to the death of a BJP legislator Bishnu Pada Roy earlier in the day.
The BJP has said that it will move two adjournment motions to seek immediate discussion on alleged violence during the recently held panchayat pols and alleged atrocities against women in the state.
