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“Haridas Pal” — a Bengali equivalent for any Tom, Dick and Harry—is what West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee used to call Narendra Modi during the bitter Lok Sabha campaigning last year. After one year, Banerjee, on Saturday, joined Prime Minister Modi during the launch of three central social security schemes. Moreover, she would be accompanying him almost everywhere during the PM's maiden two-day Bengal visit.
Hailing the schemes, Banerjee emphasised the need for the state and Centre to work together. There was a moment of friendly banter as well between the "Good M" and the "Bad M" as Ratan Tata alluded after Nano pullout from Singur.
Banerjee pointed out about 1,000 panchayts in the state does not have access to banking service, to which Modi later retorted, “Mamataji is pointing this out in front of me, because she knows if someone wants to do something in this regard, then it is only me.”
The chief minister also noted during her speech: “The Centre allocated Rs 100 crore for Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme. The prime minister will be happy to know that we allocated Rs 1,000 crore for the Kanyashree scheme.”
On the sidelines of the event at Nazrul Mancha in South Kolkata, Banerjee had a brief one-on-one meeting with Modi at the green room of the auditorium. Later, she is expected to accompany the prime minister to call on Ramakrishna Mission's President Swami Atmasthananda, who has been undergoing treatment.
Banerjee will again meet Modi at Raj Bhavan here late evening. Besides, she will be flying with the prime minister in a helicopter from Howrah to Asansol on Sunday and accompany the prime minister to the IISCO plant at Burnpur. Banerjee is also expected to see off Modi at the Andal airport—a showcase project of the Trinamool government—which is set to become operational from May 18. While Banerjee has vouched that she is meeting Modi to perform only her “constitutional duty” and to make the “federal structure of India stronger”, many read more into Modi-Mamata bonhomie.
Juxtaposing the bonhomie against Banerjee's threat last year to drag “communal” Modi around with a rope around his waist and later to send a token garland to the new PM, the opposition smells a “deal”.
The allegation is that Banerjee has traded off Trinamool Congress' support in Parliament to some of the key government Bills for a pause on the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) activism on the Saradha chit fund scam.
This sudden change of approach of Banerjee, coupled with a simultaneous pause on CBI activism, has strengthened such allegations.
"The Centre had invited her (Mamata) on a number of occasions to share her views on a variety of issues, but she was the only CM who never went to Delhi then. After the CBI sought their (TMC's) account details, she suddenly rushed to Delhi and met the prime minister in March. Since then, there has been no progress in the Saradha investigation,” CPI(M) leader Md Salim said.
"Is this a drama? The BJP is saying it's ghar wapasi (home coming). The Trinamool from its birth was with the BJP. This is her ghar wapasi . This is evident as Banerjee is supporting all the Bills of the government, and in return the BJP has ensured that the investigation is stalled in Saradha,” he added.
Banerjee has indicated that she would take up issues concerning state finances with the prime minister. “There has been a substantial cut in central assistance in several schemes meant for the poor. I don't know what other states are doing. I will take up the issue with the PM," the chief minister said, addressing newly elected councillors recently.
Observers say, fresh from the landslide electoral victory in civic body polls, Banerjee is in a position to take a liberal stance against the central government. It was BJP, which was seen making the biggest gain utilising the Saradha scam. Hence, the TMC had to take an equally hard stand against the BJP, but the recent poll result has once again proven BJP has hardly made any progress in terms of gaining political ground.
Hailing the schemes, Banerjee emphasised the need for the state and Centre to work together. There was a moment of friendly banter as well between the "Good M" and the "Bad M" as Ratan Tata alluded after Nano pullout from Singur.
Banerjee pointed out about 1,000 panchayts in the state does not have access to banking service, to which Modi later retorted, “Mamataji is pointing this out in front of me, because she knows if someone wants to do something in this regard, then it is only me.”
The chief minister also noted during her speech: “The Centre allocated Rs 100 crore for Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme. The prime minister will be happy to know that we allocated Rs 1,000 crore for the Kanyashree scheme.”
On the sidelines of the event at Nazrul Mancha in South Kolkata, Banerjee had a brief one-on-one meeting with Modi at the green room of the auditorium. Later, she is expected to accompany the prime minister to call on Ramakrishna Mission's President Swami Atmasthananda, who has been undergoing treatment.
Banerjee will again meet Modi at Raj Bhavan here late evening. Besides, she will be flying with the prime minister in a helicopter from Howrah to Asansol on Sunday and accompany the prime minister to the IISCO plant at Burnpur. Banerjee is also expected to see off Modi at the Andal airport—a showcase project of the Trinamool government—which is set to become operational from May 18. While Banerjee has vouched that she is meeting Modi to perform only her “constitutional duty” and to make the “federal structure of India stronger”, many read more into Modi-Mamata bonhomie.
Juxtaposing the bonhomie against Banerjee's threat last year to drag “communal” Modi around with a rope around his waist and later to send a token garland to the new PM, the opposition smells a “deal”.
The allegation is that Banerjee has traded off Trinamool Congress' support in Parliament to some of the key government Bills for a pause on the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) activism on the Saradha chit fund scam.
This sudden change of approach of Banerjee, coupled with a simultaneous pause on CBI activism, has strengthened such allegations.
"The Centre had invited her (Mamata) on a number of occasions to share her views on a variety of issues, but she was the only CM who never went to Delhi then. After the CBI sought their (TMC's) account details, she suddenly rushed to Delhi and met the prime minister in March. Since then, there has been no progress in the Saradha investigation,” CPI(M) leader Md Salim said.
"Is this a drama? The BJP is saying it's ghar wapasi (home coming). The Trinamool from its birth was with the BJP. This is her ghar wapasi . This is evident as Banerjee is supporting all the Bills of the government, and in return the BJP has ensured that the investigation is stalled in Saradha,” he added.
Banerjee has indicated that she would take up issues concerning state finances with the prime minister. “There has been a substantial cut in central assistance in several schemes meant for the poor. I don't know what other states are doing. I will take up the issue with the PM," the chief minister said, addressing newly elected councillors recently.
Observers say, fresh from the landslide electoral victory in civic body polls, Banerjee is in a position to take a liberal stance against the central government. It was BJP, which was seen making the biggest gain utilising the Saradha scam. Hence, the TMC had to take an equally hard stand against the BJP, but the recent poll result has once again proven BJP has hardly made any progress in terms of gaining political ground.
