Mamata Banerjee hits out at BJP, says it should not dream of ruling Bengal

Kolkata: In a veiled attack on the BJP, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Thursday, said that those who had vandalised the statue of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar should not dream of ruling West Bengal.

"Modern-day India is different from the old India. We are working under threat. History cannot be changed, Vidyasagar statue cannot be vandalised and then the same people try to rule Bengal. I request all to uphold the diversity of Bengal," Banerjee said at an event in Kolkata.

The bust of Vidyasagar, a 19th-century social reformer, was vandalised in clashes between BJP and Trinamool Congress workers at Vidyasagar College during BJP President Amit Shah's roadshow on May 14.

Banerjee had unveiled a new statue of Vidyasagar on June 11, which was then installed in the same place later in the day.

During the course of the event, which was held on Teachers' Day, the West Bengal Chief Minister also accused the Centre of not giving adequate funds to the state governments.

"The state government earns from the public to carry out their expenditure. Unlike the Centre, which has an RBI and can withdraw money as per their wish at any time and they can also print new currency. Centre does not give us enough to spend and they take so much tax from the state," Banerjee said.

Further blaming the Centre she added, "Central government has closed down Sarwa Shiksha Abhiyaan and due to that we cannot work. We could have done much more."