TMC's Abhishek Banerjee slams Amit Shah over 'Sonar Bangla' remark, funds issue

Kolkata, Sep 26 (PTI) TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Friday hit back at Union Home Minister Amit Shah's 'Sonar Bangla' pitch, questioning the BJP-led Centre over alleged dues of Rs 2 lakh-crore to West Bengal.

Taking strong exception to Shah's comments made earlier in the day during a Durga Puja inauguration, Banerjee said the saffron camp should first explain why the state's legitimate funds are being withheld.

"First, you should ask Amit Shah - when will you release Rs 2 lakh-crore that you owe to us? If he says that AITC is lying, then ask him to choose any channel of his choice and I will come for a debate with facts and figures," Banerjee told reporters here.

Lashing out at the BJP's slogan of building a 'Sonar Bangla', the TMC MP from Diamond Harbour said, "He talks about Sonar Bangla, but did they make Sonar Bihar? Were they able to make Sonar Gujarat, Maharashtra, or UP? They are using our funds in all these BJP-ruled states." On the issue of heavy rainfall leading to waterlogging in Kolkata, Banerjee said the state government was doing its best in adverse conditions.

"If we get 300 mm rainfall in 4 hours, what can be done? But look at the situation now. If Kolkata is waterlogged, how is Amit Shah going from one place to another here?" he said.

Earlier in the day, Shah inaugurated the Durga Puja celebrations at Santosh Mitra Square in the city and offered prayers to Goddess Durga.

Extending his greetings, he said he prayed for the emergence of a government after the coming assembly polls that would transform West Bengal into 'Sonar Bangla' (Golden Bengal).

"I have prayed before Maa Durga that after this election, a government should be formed in Bengal that can build Sonar Bangla. Our Bengal should once again become safe, prosperous, peaceful, abundant and fertile. And we should be able to build the Bengal of Kavi Guru Rabindranath Tagore that he had envisioned," Shah said.

The TMC and the BJP have been locked in a war of words in the run-up to next year's assembly polls, with the saffron camp targeting the Mamata Banerjee government over corruption and governance issues, while the ruling party in the state has accused the Centre of withholding funds. PTI PNT MNB