Mamata hits back over Pakistan threat to Kolkata, seeks Modi's resignation
The TMC chief questions why the PM did not respond to Khawaja Asif's warning despite being in Bengal for a rally, saying she will not let any threat to the city go unanswered
Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s stern warning on Saturday (April 4) that Islamabad would respond with a strike on Kolkata if there were “future misadventures” has now become a part of the election narrative in West Bengal.
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State Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday (April 6) hit out at the Centre, asking why Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not raise the matter while he was campaigning in the state on Sunday (April 5). She also sought his resignation.
'When Pak talks of attacking Bengal, you stay silent'
“You (PM) target Bengal during election rallies, but when Pakistan talks of attacking Bengal, you do not utter a word. You should resign,” the Trinamool Congress supremo said at a poll rally in Bethuadahari in Nadia district bordering Bangladesh.
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“Why did the prime minister not raise the issue during his rally in Bengal? When Pakistan's defence minister says they will attack Kolkata, why didn't the prime minister say that 'we will take strong action’?” she posed a day after Modi addressed a poll rally in Cooch Behar in northern Bengal.
'Will not take threat to Kolkata lying down'
“Just like we do not accept any threat to the country, we will also not take the threat to Kolkata lying down,” she said.
Asif’s remarks came during an interaction with the media in his hometown of Sialkot, some 230 kilometres from Islamabad, when he said, “If India tries to stage any false flag operation this time, then God-willingly, we will take it to Kolkata.”
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The Pakistani minister’s words came two days after his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh said in an election rally in Kerala that any “misadventure” on behalf of Pakistan in the prevailing situation would lead to an “unprecedented and decisive” action.
(With agency inputs)