Centre cuts state funds but spends money on PM’s suit: Mamata

Kolkata, Aug 26 (PTI) Launching a scathing attack on theCentre, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today alleged it wastrying to "save money" by stopping or slashing funds for stateprojects but had spent a huge sum on a suit for Prime MinisterNarendra Modi. She gave three months time to the Centre to waive thehuge debts her government inherited from the previous LeftFront regime and threatened to launch a movement on thestreets of New Delhi if "interference" in federal structure isnot stopped. "The Narendra Modi government has either stopped orslashed funds for various state government projects. He istrying to save money. What for will you save the money? Youwant to save the money for a coat and get a place in theGuinness Book?" she said. Addressing a programme of the Trinamool Congress studentwing, the Chief Minister said mockingly, "You can find yourname in the Guinness Book for good work, but just imaginepeople are making it to it just by stitching coats." The monogrammed suit Modi donned during his meeting withUS President Barack Obama last year entered the Guinness Bookof World Records as "the most expensive suit sold at auction".But it had invited Opposition criticism. The suit was reportedly stitched at a cost of Rs 10 lakhand was auctioned at a base price of Rs 11 lakh. The moneyraised from the auction of the suit has been earmarked for theCentre’s clean Ganga mission. Mamata then referred to the Centre’s "peculiar" rule thatif there is no Aadhaar card the students will not get benefitsor scholarships. "Who are they to stop it? The government shouldunderstand that we have not come to power by the mercy ofsomeone. The Centre has its own jurisdiction and state itsown. The Centre should not interfere in the matters of thestate," Banerjee said. She threatened to launch an agitation in Delhi if theCentre doesn’t stop "interfering" and doesn’t waive the debtswithin three months. MORE PTI PNT MDTIR