Mamata answers Amit Shah's 'Bhatija-Kalyan' jibe; contrasts nephew Abhishek with HM's son

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday hit out at Amit Shah complaining that the language used by him smacks of arrogance and does not behove a Union Home Minister. Responding to the frequent attacks on her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, Mamata pulled the BJP leader's son into the fight and asked where did he get so much money from.

'What about your son Mr Shah?'

Addressing a programme of NGOs and civil society organisations in Kolkata, she challenged BJP to prove its allegations that the TMC misappropriated funds sent by the Centre to the state, or the Narendra Modi government should resign.

"The BJP frequently says that TMC is corrupt, the TMC siphoned off money. It is not Modi's money. It is sent by one government to another. Then you should not collect taxes from the state and there will be no need to give it back. If you cannot prove the allegation, you will have to resign," she said. 

"You continuously attack us with pishi-bhaipo (aunt and nephew) jibe. What about your son Mr Shah? Where did he get so much money from?" she said.

"I am a street fighter. I will fight to the end," Banerjee said adding that she is not afraid of the BJP. "Let's have a fair play. The Left and the Congress can be in your (the BJP's) team and we will fight alone. I will only be a goalkeeper and see how many goals you can score," the TMC chief said.

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'Mamata is both only about bhatija-kalyan'

Addressing a rally in West Bengal's Coochbehar on Thursday, Amit Shah said that BJP's 'Parivartan Yatra' is aimed at ending corruption patronised by "Bua-Bhatija" combine. The BJP has been accusing Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek, the Lok Sabha MP from Diamond Harbour, of "institutionalising corruption".

Lashing out at "dynasty politics" in the TMC, Shah alleged that Banerjee has been working only for the welfare of her nephew instead of the masses. "The Modi government works for 'jan kalyan' (public welfare), while the Mamata Banerjee dispensation is bothered only about 'bhatija kalyan' (nephew's welfare). Her only agenda is to make her nephew the Chief Minister," he said. The assembly election for 294 seats is due in the state in April-May.

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(With agency inputs)