‘Behaving like acting PM’: Mamata Banerjee’s Mir Zafar jab at Amit Shah; her advise for PM Modi | India News

NEW DELHI: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday accused Union dwelling minister Amit Shah of behaving like an “acting Prime Minister” and cautioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi to not repose an excessive amount of religion in him.Banerjee in contrast Shah to Mir Zafar, the 18th-century army common who betrayed Nawab Siraj ud-Daulah within the Battle of Plassey.“Shah may one day become his (PM Modi’s) Mir Zafar. Whatever the Election Commission is doing in the name of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is at Shah’s behest,” she mentioned, as quoted by PTI.“This is all Amit Shah’s game. He behaves like he is the acting prime minister of the country. The PM knows everything. I am sorry to say so. We can only request him (Modi). Don’t trust Amit Shah so much,” she added.Mamata’s remarks come amid rising opposition criticism of the Election Commission (EC), which has accused it of acting on behest of the BJP. The opposition has additionally on a number of occassions alleged main irregularities within the Special Internsive Revision of voter rolls in Bihar. In August, Shah had visited Kolkata, the place he met Bengal BJP MPs to debate SIR.At the time, BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya alleged that the TMC was frightened the EC would uncover pretend voters if the SIR have been carried out in Bengal.Political tensions in West Bengal have been rising forward of the state elections scheduled for subsequent 12 months.Banerjee made the remarks after returning to Kolkata from a go to to the flood-affected areas of the state. Earlier, whereas talking in Bagdogra, she launched a pointy assault on PM Modi over his feedback on the current bridge collapse in Mirik.Targeting PM Modi, Banerjee mentioned that Bengal is “not Gujarat,” referencing the 2022 Morbi bridge collapse in Gujarat, which claimed over 130 lives.“It has rained heavily across the country — just look at how many people have died in Uttarakhand. I won’t name other places, because I don’t play politics over natural disasters,” she mentioned, including, “I remember when a bridge collapsed during the Left Front government. See, there are bridges that have been standing for 100 to 150 years. We had already started building a new bridge in Mirik, and it will be inaugurated before the next monsoon. In the meantime, we are also constructing a temporary bridge, which will be completed in 15 days.”The chief minister additionally criticised the central authorities over alleged lack of help and sources. “You do not give funds to Bengal for flood relief. How does BJP make tall claims?” she mentioned, whereas additionally taking a swipe at airfare hikes from Bagdogra to Kolkata. “You provided flood relief somewhere due to elections. You will fill your coffers for elections but you do not have funds for floods”“But you raised the Bagdogra-Kolkata airfare to Rs 18,000; a flight ticket via Delhi costs Rs 40,000 now. This is a horrifying conduct of a horrifying government.”Mamata Banerjee confirmed that reduction operations are underway within the affected areas. “As far as the things here (flood-affected areas in WB) are concerned, I am sending all the relief materials. I sent 400 packets to Mirik yesterday. Kits are being sent to Nagrakata, Siliguri, Maynaguri, and Alipurduar. I have sent my Panchayat Minister. We are doing all relief works,” she mentioned. She additionally met 21 displaced households and introduced that 500 reduction kits, together with blankets, rice, dal, dry meals, and milk, had been distributed. About 1,000 stranded vacationers have been safely evacuated in 45 buses.Banerjee addressed assaults on BJP leaders Khagen Murmu and Shankar Ghosh whereas they have been visiting flood-hit areas, noting, “I met him (Khagen Murmu), he is a little injured in his ears. But he is diabetic, so he is under observation. I wish him a speedy recovery.” She additionally condemned the assault on the TMC workplace in Tripura, with MP Saayoni Ghosh saying, “We condemn this…we are going to assess the situation and give a message to our workers that they are not alone.”The chief minister mentioned rehabilitation work is progressing with new roads being in-built Rohini, a brief bridge beneath building in Mirik, and repairs ongoing at Nagrakata. She promised a private go to subsequent week to supervise the reduction efforts. “Next week I will be going again to oversee the relief work by myself. We will also have to make arrangements for the jobs we have promised (to the deceased) in the next 15 days,” she mentioned.North Bengal has been battered by floods and landslides over the previous week claiming at least 32 lives and leaving a number of lacking, and stranded 1000’s.(With inputs from businesses)