Donkey remark: BJP-TMC activists clash in Varanasi

Slamming Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi for his remarks on Bangladesh infiltrators in West Bengal, state Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee called her Gujarat counterpart a 'donkey'.

Addressing an election rally, Banerjee said: "What does Modi know about Bengal and its people? He is a 'gadha' (donkey) to make comments like that. He is dubbing people of Bengal as refugees."

"What does he know about refugees? Those who came here even after 1971 were Indians. The Indira-Mujib treaty is clear on this," said the TMC chief.

"We simply allowed Modi to campaign here out of courtesy. Else he should have been sent back from the airport itself," she said.

"Modi is a devil, a dangerous person. He only knows the policy of divide and rule," said Banerjee.

"But I won't allow him to divide Bengal. I will guard you if he tries to evict any of you from here. I will protect you. I will not allow anyone touch you or harm you," said Banerjee.

On Wednesday, Modi again attacked Banerjee on the Bangladeshi infiltration issue saying the people who cross illegally from across the border and pampered here are aggressors and they would have to go.

Modi also mocked Banerjee saying she is fearful of him and would fall sick.

"Don't you think they [Bangladeshis] made your life miserable here?" asked Modi at his speech in West Bengal's Krishnanagar, accusing Banerjee of encouraging the infiltrators at the cost of denying work to local people.

"Infiltrators are aggressors in India according to the Supreme Court of India. If you have power then criticize the Supreme Court," said Modi slamming Banerjee.

"Those who come from Bangladesh as refugees are our family. It is our duty to take care of them. I do not say only Assam or Bengal will take care of the refugees. Even Gujarat will take that responsibility," he said.

"But the infiltrators have to go, go and go," said Modi.

"I am saying this not because of politics but because the Supreme Court of India said so," said Modi.

He said more than ten million illegal Bangladeshis were in India according to the figures given by late Indian home minster Indrajit Gupta (who was a Communist Party of India leader) in Parliament in 1997.

He said Banerjee herself had protested infiltration from Bangladesh in 2005 but not changed for vote bank.

He mocked Mamata saying "do not be so angry." "I requested Bengal doctors to see that she does not fall sick," said Modi.

"Elections are all about win and defeat. Two years ago you had a good time. Now there will be good days for Bengal," said Modi.

He said TMC, Congress and Left wrestle in Bengal and be friends in Delhi and take food from the same plate.

"Will you trust these people? They have only one slogan: come what may, stop Modi," said the Gujarat chief minister. 

"I want to know why in West Bengal there are such high cases of atrocities on women despite having a woman as chief minister," he said. 

He said he was surprised that Banerjee has changed in two years of being in power.

"Once you were dying for Bengal and now you are dying for the chair," he said.