Shall I beat up Prime Minister for funds, asks West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee

CANNING (South 24 Parganas ): West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday took her anti-Centre tirade to a new low by using language no CM has ever used against the PM.

Venting her frustration over the state’s financial troubles, Mamata said at a rally: “I personally met the Prime Minister at least 10 times. What else can I do? Shall I go beat him up? Then people will call me a goonda. Anyway they call me that. But I don’t care. I can go to the very last for the people.”

Mamata’s remark drew sharp criticism from the opposition with Congress leader and Union minister Adhir Chowdhury saying: “She will not be able to run the state for long. One day you will see that she will flee Bengal after getting rid of the government.”

CPM central committee member Mohd Salim called it a “blemish on Bengal’s culture”. Congress leader Manas Bhuniya slammed the CM for making such a “derogatory” comment. “Such an uncivilised, unconstitutional remark is unbecoming of a CM who is from Kolkata — the culture capital of the country. She should know that the Centre has to conform to fiscal discipline and can’t just dole out funds when she wishes,” he said.

Deepa Das Munshi, Adhir’s colleague in the Cabinet, demanded an immediate apology from the chief minister. Mamata’s choice of words was aimed at placating a rural audience that is getting restive ahead of panchayat polls, the first major electoral battle of her 18-month-old government.