Mamata Banerjee was unapologetic – basically about everything – at the annual general meeting of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci). “I come from a poor family. So I speak a little broken English, a little broken Urdu, a little broken Hindi,” she said. Pashchim Banga, she said, was eagerly awaiting investment... if offered unlimited opportunity to develop an African Safari, a mini Switzerland and Goa of the east (Sundarbans, Darjeeling and Digha, respectively). But she said the Reserve Bank (RBI) just won’t let West Bengal develop. “Everything we earn, RBI takes away. What is this RBI? I have empty vessels. What can empty vessels do?” she asked, referring to Bengal’s fiscal situation.
Next, she raised a few eyebrows by referring to Naina Lal Kidwai, who has recently taken over as Ficci president, as “Naina di”. Kidwai merely smiled. She proceeded to make up by saying West Bengal was famous for Baluchari saris, and “Madam Naina” was wearing a beautiful specimen (Kidwai was indeed wearing a shot silk magenta Baluchari). As she was speaking, jute bags with symbols of Bengal were distributed to the participants: Gobindbhog rice in a little sachet, a small tin of Darjeeling tea and a scarf from Baluchar. “West Bengal’s fiscal deficit must have gone up by a couple of basis points,” said someone in the audience.