We do not need gyan on development from Narendra Modi: Mamata Banerjee

Mamata Banerjee said that if "Narendra Modi comes to power, India will plunge into darkness". (PTI)

Rebutting the accusation by Narendra Modi that she had done more damage to West Bengal in 35-month of rule than the Left Front in 35 years, Mamata Banerjee on Monday said that she did not need ‘gyan’ from him on development.

“If he comes to power, India will plunge into darkness. We do not need gyan (lecture) on development from the architect of riots,” Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress supremo, said on Twitter.

Heaping scorn on the BJP Prime Ministerial candidate, Banerjee said “The man who is being projected as PM candidate, if he comes to power, India will be ruined.”

On Modi’s allegation that she was indulging in vote bank politics ignoring non-Bengalis and spreading the red carpet for Bangladeshis, the West Bengal Chief Minister, told reporters that he (Modi) did not know history.

Pointing out that immigrants from Bangladesh came to India under the Indira-Mujib agreement of 1971, she said “Mr Modi does not know history. He does not know that speaking in Bangla does not make one a Bangladeshi.”

She said “elsewhere in India, anyone who speaks in Bangla is branded a Bangladeshi. This is discrimination.”

Accusing the Gujarat Chief Minister of divisive politics, she said “Mr Modi wants to divide Bengalis and non-Bengalis.

This is deplorable. This is nonsense. “Mr Modi wants to pack off Bengalis from India. Who is he to decide? He indulges in divisive politics. He wanted to divide Darjeeling. Now he wants to divide Hindus and Muslims in the state,” she said.