Home Minister Amit Shah “deliberately trying to project a gloomy picture” of West Bengal: Mamata Banerjee

Slamming Union Home Minister Amit Shah for "deliberately trying to project a dismal and gloomy picture" of West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday contended that the state has fared well on all development indices.

Issuing a point-by-point rebuttal to assertions made by Shah against her dispensation, during his visit to Bengal last week, Banerjee cited NCRB data to state that political killings and other crimes have decreased in the last ten years under the TMC rule.

"When the home minister of the country says something, it should be backed by data, facts and figures. Bengal is ahead of other states on all development indices. But Amit Shah ji deliberately tried to depict a gloomy and dismal picture of the state. I was challenged... here is my reply," Banerjee said at a press meet.

Kolkata has twice been accorded the 'safest city' tag in the country, she said.

"According to NCRB data, political killings, other incidents of crime and rape cases have decreased during the TMC rule. BJP leaders, while pointing fingers at others, should also speak up against the Hathras rape-murder incident in Uttar Pradesh," Banerjee added.