Anurag Thakur responds to Mamata's 'outsider' remark, says won't let this thinking develop in West Bengal

Responding to the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's "outsiders" remark, Union Minister Anurag Thakur said those who are in power in West Bengal are talking of secluding the state and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will not allow this to happen.

"On my arrival in Kolkata, I was asked 'what will an outsider do in Bengal?'. This is the land of Tagore, Vivekanand, Bose who belong to the nation. Only those in power here talking of secluding Bengal. We won't let this thinking develop in Bengal," Union Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Anurag Thakur said while addressing BJP's event in Kolkata.

Mamata Banerjee has asserted that she will not let outsiders turn West Bengal into Gujarat and On November 26, while addressing a press conference had said, "There is no place for outsiders in Bengal who come only during elections to incite violence. I say this place is not for outsiders. They come here only to do politics during elections."

"If a central minister has become an outsider then who is an insider? The one who infiltrates has become an insider and we become an outsider. It is unfortunate," Anurag Thakur said.

Attacking Trinamool Congress (TMC) led Mamata Banerjee's government in the state, Thakur said, "You talk of economic resurgence, but who will become here. A business investor sees a law and order situation before investment. Two out of 10 people hardly say that the law and order situation is fine here. Under Mamataji's government the industry of murder, loot, corruption, has grown."

"Mamata Banerjee refuses to implement central government schemes here. Farmers are not getting the benefits of central governments' PM Kisan Yojana. We have to oust TMC if we want to remove corruption and help the people of the state," he added.

This statement comes as West Bengal's Vidhan Sabha polls are slated to take place in 2021 for 294 seats. The dates for the polls are not announced yet.

( With inputs from ANI )