Kolkata: Union Minister Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for daring the Centre to impose President's rule in the state and said the union government was not "so irresponsible".
"I don't think the Centre is so irresponsible. The central government goes by the Constitution. I don't think that Article 356 is just applied because the Chief Minister dares the Centre to apply it. I don't think constitutional articles should be treated so lightly," Ramesh told reporters here.
"When CPI(M) was ruling West Bengal she had demanded imposition of Article 356 in the state every day," he said.
Ramesh also slammed Banerjee for accusing the Centre of imposing an "economic blockade" on the state. "Banerjee uses words of which she doesn't understand the meaning. What does economic blockade mean? In the last 35 days, the union rural development ministry has sanctioned Rs 2,400 crore for MNREGA and 1,200 km of rural roads in the state. Is that economic blockade?" he asked.
"I think people who are elected as Chief Minister should use language in keeping with the dignity of office and words like economic blockade do not contribute to dignity to the office of chief minister," Ramesh said.
He also asked if Banerjee had turned into an astrologer for predicting that there would be no UPA-III after 2014. "I have heard that Banerjee is a painter, writes poetry, but has she turned into an astrologer too? Has she made any horoscope of UPA-III?" Ramesh questioned.
"The Trinamool Congress is living in a world of its own claiming imaginary achievements. The upcoming panchayat polls will mark the beginning of the end of the Trinamool regime in the state," he said.
"The people of the state brought in Trinamool Congress with a huge mandate and hopes. But unfortunately the aspirations of the masses have been betrayed. There has been no rule and governance in the state for the last two years," Ramesh said.
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