Shah dares Didi to arrest him; Maya targets PM

The bitter battle between the BJP and two feisty women chiefs of the BSP and Trinamool Congress, Mayawati and Mamata Banerjee continued, as taunts and personal attacks flew thick and fast on Monday.

BJP President Amit Shah taunted West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to arrest him for chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’.

Throwing a direct challenge to the chief minister, Shah also said that even if she does not allow him to hold rallies, people of the state had decided to defeat the Trinamool Congress. He also alleged that a BJP rally at Baruipur in Jadavpur LS constituency had to be cancelled as the state police denied permission for Shah’s chopper to land.

“Mamata didi, whether or not you let me hold rallies, people of Bengal have already made the decision to defeat TMC in Lok Sabha and give more than 23 seats to Narendra Modi,” said Shah addressing a rally in Joynagar Lok Sabha constituency in South 24 Paraganas district.

Alleging that the TMC supremo did not allow people to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ in Bengal, Shah dared Mamata by raising the slogan from the dais.

“Mamata didi says that in Bengal one can’t Jai Shri Ram. Mamata didi I am saying Jai Shri Ram from Joynagar and I will go to Kolkata from here. Arrest me if you have the guts,” said Shah.

Accusing the chief minister of shielding infiltrators, Shah said that she is only concerned about getting the votes of infiltrators.

He also said that Bengal, which was once known as “sonar Bangla” (golden Bengal), had become “Kangal Bangla” (pauper Bengal) under the TMC rule.

Mayawati hits back

Stung by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attack on her over the Alwar rape incident, BSP supremo Mayawati on Monday stated that the PM had no “respect” for women as he had “abandoned” his wife for “political gain”.

Mayawati also said that wives of BJP leaders did not want their husbands to go near Modi as they feared that the latter might get them to abandon their wives also.

“BJP does not respect women....Modiji abandoned his wife for political interests.....if Modi can abandon his wife for personal gain, how can he be expected to give justice to the mothers and sisters of the country,” the BSP supremo said.