Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee were on Thursday locked in a blame game over the vandalisation of the bust of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar in the violence at BJP chief Amit Shah's roadshow in Kolkata and traded barbs over building a new statue of the 19th century Bengali icon.
As the bitter campaign in the TMC-ruled West Bengal that was curtailed by a day headed to a close tonight, Modi said his government was committed towards Vidyasagar's vision and promised to install his grand statue at the same spot in Kolkata.
Rejecting Modi's offer, Banerjee said Bengal does not need BJP's money and that the state has enough to rebuild the statue. "We do not seek alms from the BJP."
"Those involved in the act of vandalising the statue should be given exemplary punishment."
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