BJP chief JP Nadda attacks Bengla CM Mamata for 'boycotting' Visva-Bharati event

NEW DELHI: BJP president J P Nadda on Thursday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of "boycotting" the centenary celebrations of Visva-Bharati, which was addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, due to her "jealousy, and political malice and rivalry", and also denigrating the state's culture and Rabindranath Tagore's prestige.

Banerjee, however, said she was not invited to the centenary event by the central university's authorities who, she added, were playing "no integral part" in carrying forward Tagore's legacy.

While attacking her in his tweets, Nadda said Modi has deep faith in the culture, literature and philosophy associated with the state and Tagore.

"Now Bengal will destroy Mamata's arrogance and give the BJP a chance of make 'sonar Bangla'," he said, in an apparent reference to the elections due in March-April next year.

In strong words, the BJP president alleged that Banerjee is following a path of "malice, lies and atrocities" which is a "culture" of her and the ruling Trinamool Congress that always "shames" the state, and not of Tagore, Swami Vivekananda, Subhash Chandra Bose and Syama Prasad Mookerjee.

The BJP has been driving an intense campaign in the state as it seeks to oust Banerjee from power following the TMC's 10-year reign.

Banerjee, a formidable and veteran political campaigner, has been touring the state to keep the saffron challenge at bay.