Mamata Banerjee to meet PM Modi, discuss BSF, development issues

Mamata Banerjee will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday to discuss issues pertaining to the Border Security Force and development of the state during her visit to Delhi.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday to discuss issues pertaining to the Border Security Force (BSF) and development of the state during her visit to Delhi.

Briefing the media in Kolkata today, Banerjee said, "I am going to Delhi today as I have an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi the day after tomorrow, regarding the BSF issue and other development issues of Bengal."

The chief minister said that all the Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs who are sitting since morning at the party office in Delhi over the alleged police brutality in Tripura have not been given an appointment with Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

"I am going to express my solidarity with them," Banerjee said.

Earlier today, a total of 16 TMC MPs including Derek O'Brien, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Santanu Sen and Mala Roy arrived at the party office in Delhi and have sought an appointment with Shah over the alleged police brutality in Tripura.

On Sunday, Trinamool Youth Congress president Sayonni Ghosh was arrested by Tripura Police for allegedly creating a ruckus during a public meeting of Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb.

Tensions in Tripura increased after violent incidents in the run-up to the elections to the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) and 12 other municipal bodies slated for November 25. It earlier also alleged that several people sustained injuries after an attack on the residence of Trinamool Congress Tripura unit's Steering Committee chief Subal Bhowmik in Bhagaban Thakur Chowmuni area of Agartala on Sunday.

"They want to capture power and bulldoze the federal structure in the name of cooperative federalism. Tripura issue will be raised in Delhi, Mumbai, and everywhere else," Banerjee said.

"Where's the National Human Rights Commission or the HM or (Article) 355? How many notices have been sent by the Government of India to Tripura? They don't care about the constitution. Their only obligation is to cheat people. They will be defeated ultimately," she added.

The West Bengal Chief Minister further said that the party respects every verdict of the Supreme Court but this government is not listening to even the Supreme Court's guidelines.

"We respect every verdict of the Supreme Court but this government is not listening to even the Supreme Court's guidelines. This is contempt of court. The administration, BJP and CM himself is defying the Supreme Court verdict," Banerjee said.

Mamata Banerjee is visiting Delhi today and will stay in the national capital till November 25.

Banerjee's visit to the capital is taking place days ahead of the winter session of Parliament which is scheduled to begin on November 29.