Kolkata: Stating that "Gujarat can do riots, we can't", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said the western state was flourishing mainly because of the huge funds it was getting from NRIs.
"Do not project Gujarat to me. What Gujarat can do, we can't. Yes we cannot indulge in riots. Gujarat is flourishing because huge funds come from NRIs," she said.
Addressing a rally in Canning in South 24-Parganas, some 55 km from Kolkata, Banerjee expressed her dissatisfaction over the comparison of Gujarat and her state.
"Why there is so much comparison with Gujarat? Their population is far below than ours. They don't have blockades, shutdowns and strikes. They are not under financial debt like us," she said.
Blaming the erstwhile Left Front regime for the precarious financial situation of the state, Banerjee said she was not aware of its poor finances before coming to power.
"Call it unfortunate or whatever, I could not realise that the state was in such a disaster. Only if I would have come to power a few years earlier, the picture would have been different," she said.
She also attacked the central government which has not allowed a moratorium of the state's debts, in spite of her repeated demands.
"We have to pay more than what we earn," she said.
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