Be jealous and compete, don't spread canards: Mamata

Apparently targeting Tata Sons' chairman emeritus Ratan Tata, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Friday said instead of spreading canards, her critics should be jealous and try to compete with the state government which has set up "a large number" of industries.

Two days after Tata created a furore with his remark that he could not see much signs of industrial development during a drive to the city from the Kolkata airport, Banerjee claimed her state was now the number one in India in areas like skill development and the Micro Smal and Medium Enterprises.

"We are now becoming number one in everything. I say be jealous, and try to compete with us. But don't spread canards. Answer our performance with performance," she said at a government function, without naming Tata.

A war of words has ensued between the Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress and Tata after his comments.

State Finance Minister Amit Mitra and Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim Thursday launched a scathing attack on Tata saying the industrialist has "lost his mind" and was "suffering from delusion".

Tata had Thursday hit back at Mitra for his "lost his mind" comment and quipped he would be delighted if the minister could show him the industrial development which he had missed.

Mitra later retorted by saying, "Tata is ill-informed and confused".

"I am truly surprised that he was not even aware before making this comment that the area through which he was driving was strictly for residential and commercial development and therefore could not have had any industrial plants visible to him.

"It indicates that Mr. Ratan Tata is ill-informed and confused," Mitra said Thursday.