Modi vs Mamata again: This time, they trade barbs over Cyclone Fani

KOLKATA: PM Modi has called Mamata Banerjee the “most arrogant chief minister.” He alleged that she was involved in “cheap politics” over cyclone Fani and claimed she snubbed him when he tried to talk to her, twice, about relief measures. He said there were some politicians who “kept politics over people.” “Speed-breaker Didi is more interested in doing politics. I called her and waited for her to call back. But she didn’t get back,” he said at a rally at Tamluk in East Midnapore on Monday. The district was badly hit by the cyclone.

“I never thought that she would do politics over the cyclone. I wanted to talk to her on the damage and the assistance the state might need. But her arrogance is so high that she refused to talk. I was worried about people suffering in Bengal. That is why I called her again, but she never returned my call.”

Banerjee retorted to Modi’s comments by terming his meeting to take stock as “all drama for publicity. How dare you call a meeting with the chief secretary and other senior officials without the chief minister? Don’t do this drama in Bengal. Expiry PM, you are not worthy. We don’t want your sympathy,” she said at an election rally.


The Trinamool also alleged that the PM flouted the federal structure, bypassed the CM and spoke to governor Keshari Nath Tripathi on the damage Fani had caused. The PM said that he would try to work for the people in Bengal despite ‘non-cooperation’ from the state government. According to sources, officials in the state refused to join the review meetings on Fani. However, state government officials at Nabanna claimed that they received no intimation on the meeting. Earlier in the day, Modi met Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik and took stock of the situation in the state.