Will never visit B'desh with PM Modi: Mamata

Noapara: Campaigning for her party's candidates in Matua-dominated areas of North 24-Parganas, Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson Mamata Banerjee on Friday said she would never accompany Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh as his recent visit was 'politically motivated' for which he did not invite her this time.

"Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina respects me a lot. Each and every time Narendra Modi had visited Bangladesh earlier, she had called me and asked me to come with him. Whether I like him or not, I had accompanied him considering the relations between India and Bangladesh. But this time, you (Narendra Modi) visited the neighbouring country silently to get politically benefitted. This is nothing but a game of vote and not out of love for Bangladesh. This is the reason why you did not ask me to accompany you this time. I am also saying that I will never accompany him (Narendra Modi) to Bangladesh any more. If needed, I will go alone," Banerjee said while addressing a rally at Habra in North 24-Parganas.

Raising allegation against Modi and Union Home minister Amit Shah of attempting to mislead people of the Matua community by assuring them of giving citizenship rights, Banerjee said: "They are just fooling people here as there is no need for citizenship certificate as all those who came from Bangladesh before March 1971 are already citizens of India. So, there is no question of proving your citizenship again."

Reacting to Shah's claims that her government did nothing for the people from the Matua community, Banerjee said: "It is our government that carried out massive development for the community as college has been set up and now initiatives have been taken to set up a university.

"At the same time, the Matua Development Board has also been set up."