Shah's '10 years older' remark 'extremely indecent': Trinamool

A West Bengal Minister on Saturday dubbed as "extremely indecent" BJP President Amit Shah's remark about Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee "looking 10 years older in a single night" post demonetisation.

The state's Urban Development Minister and senior Trinamool Congress leader Firhad Hakim said: "Such comments about the Chief Minister are extremely indecent."

Shah at a rally in Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh said: "Have you seen the faces of Mamata (Banerjee) and Mayawati? Their faces have lost glow. In a single night, they have started looking 10 years older."

Hakim said: "It is true that Mamata Banerjee is saddened by the jolt to the economy of the nation following the demonetisation decision. Unlike the BJP, her heart cries for the pain of common man."

Hakim also accused the BJP of hoarding black money.

"It's better not to talk about the culture of a party like the BJP that practises communal politics and was deeply involved in the communal riots in Gujarat.

"Modesty and good culture can't be expected from them," the minister added.

Shah's remark also drew flak from a section of women activists and intellectuals.

Sunanda Mukherjee, the Chairperson of West Bengal Commission for Women, said the BJP is resorting to "personal attacks on women politicians".

"Such comments about prominent women politicians like Mamata Banerjee and Mayawati are indecent and disrespectful. It is a pity that he does not know how to talk about a Chief Minister," Mukherjee said.

Banerjee, also the Trinamool supremo, has been at war with the Narendra Modi government over demonetisation, which has caused a severe cash crunch in the country.

--IANS

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