'At the moment, name of biggest monk is Mamata Banerjee', BJP mocks Bengal Chief Minister over...

On one side of her is the picture of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Gandhiji, on the other side is the picture of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar and Khudiram Bose. It was there that the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's photo was reportedly kept in the same row with the monks. These five pictures are on the wall of the Medinipur Municipal Corporation meeting room. Mamata Banerjee's photo with the intellectuals in the same row has created huge controversy. 

The opposition has accused the Trinamool-run Municipal Corporation of insulting the intellectuals. As soon as the controversy arose, the chief minister's photo was removed from the wall. However, Netaji, Gandhiji, Vidyasagar, Khudiram's photo were kept in the same row. Trinamool has won in Medinipur civic elections this time. Of the 25 seats, the Trinamool won 20 seats, the CPM three, the Congress one and the Independent one. Trinamool's Soumen Khan has been elected as the Chairman. 

CPM councillor Pratima De Bakshi has raised the issue of keeping Mamata Banerjee's picture in the same row. She said, "On what basis Mamata Banerjee's picture been kept in the middle of the pictures of the intellectuals? I strongly protest this move. Intellectuals are being insulted. Where is the present government taking the education culture of the people of the state? I tell people to be vigilant, to protest."

BJP district vice-president Arup Das said, "At the moment, the name of the biggest monk is Mamata Banerjee. From Nabanna to Medinipur Municipal Corporation, there is only one intellectual-- Mamata Banerjee. This government is destroying the culture of Bengal. I strongly protest against it. Women are being tortured and raped across the state. No one is looking into that." Congress councillor Mohammad Saiful said, "This is a very normal phenomenon during the Trinamool regime. Mamata Banerjee is running the party on proprietorship. She is naturally the owner. The rest are employees. The employees are making their owner sit sometimes in the seat of the goddess, sometimes next to the monks." 

However, the authorities do not see anything wrong in this regard. Municipality chairman Soumen Khan said, "There was no injustice or mistake in it. We respect the monks. The Chief Minister is the people's leader of Bengal. Her picture is kept in my room and in the meeting room. I think I'm proud of that."