Mamata ridicules Modi's selfie, says 'spare Bengal' from riots

Asserting the BJP does not deserve political courtesies, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Monday here took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's selfies, labelling him as a "selfie danga guru (riot master)".

In a blistering attack at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Trinamool Congress supremo tore apart the party for fanning riots and demanded the return of black money.

"Ever since this government came to power, riots are happening everywhere - Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and even Delhi. We have a 'selfie danga guru'.

"The tricks of danga gurus will not work on the pure soil of Bengal. They have carried out many riots in Gujarat. Spare Bengal," she said at a public meeting held at the conclusion of a protest march brought out by the Trinamool against the central government's "conspiracies" against West Bengal.

The programme was taken in the wake of the arrest of party MP Srinjoy Bose by the Central Bureau of Investigation probing the Saradha scam.

Modi and his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott took an autographed selfie together, as a mark of their growing friendship, and exchanged warm hugs during the former's visit to the country last week.

Banerjee lashed out some media houses for giving publicity to the BJP.

"When we give a speech, some channels are asked not to telecast it. But when danga gurus (riot masters) speaks, it is shown everywhere.

"I know political courtesies. I have always visited Atal ji (former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee), Jyoti babu (former chief minister Jyoti Basu). Those in power today do not deserve it," she said.

The Trinamool is facing severe criticism in the light of the multicrore Saradha chitfund scam and the Burdwan blasts.

"Infiltration is under Centre's jurisdiction. Border areas are under BSF, SSB and other central agencies.

"People who migrated to India from Bangladesh during Partition are legal citizens of India, not infiltrators. Bangladesh is our neighbour and like a sibling," she said in reference to the blasts.

Banerjee also stressed on her government's response to the blasts and chit funds.

"Terrorists have no religion. We arrested the terrorist associated with Burdwan blast.

"We arrested the kingpin of chit funds. The whole party (Trinamool) is being blamed for the fault of one or two outsiders," she said. - IANS