Centre hits back Mamata for BHIM app remark, asks CM to go beyond personal interest

The Centre on Friday took strong objection to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for calling the newly launched Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) as a "lottery app", and urged the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief to go beyond her own internal problems and look at the national interest for a change.

Drawing a reference to TMC lawmakers where some were arrested in connection with the Sahara and Rose valley chit fund scam, Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal said that instead of getting engrossed in chit fund scams asked the Chief Minister to go beyond lotteries.

"The app has nothing to do with lottery. I think Mamata Banerjee is so much engrossed with lotteries and chit funds and prices that she doesn't see beyond lotteries. This is an app which will strengthen digital payments in the country. The UPI, the USSD modes of payments transacted in business for paying goods and services will be made much more simpler and robust through the BHIM app.," Goyal told ANI.

Goyal said the government is delighted to associate Dr. Bhimarao Ambedkar's name with the app.

"India and the whole world will remember and recognise Ambedkarji's contribution to India's financial structure. He was one of those who pioneered the concept of the RBI and I think it is very fitting tribute to his memory that BHIM will henceforth help people and transact," he said.

"I hope Mamata will go out of her phobia of attacking everything that is associated with Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he added.

Addressing a press conference earlier in the day, Mamata said, "A lottery app has been named after Ambedkar by the Centre; This is a crude mentality and insulting to backward classes.