Didi targets 'goonda' and 'panda'

TT, Calcutta, Dec. 21: Mamata Banerjee today described the Narendra Modi government as the "biggest thief" and the BJP under Amit Shah as the "biggest robber" the country has seen at the Centre since Independence.

Mamata said the " goonda (goon) and the panda (kingpin) have come together to inflict the biggest scam on the country and its people.... Mister Prime Minister, we want an investigation against your party and your government. The cat is out of the bag now. What was the deal behind demonetisation?" she asked.

The Bengal chief minister has ratcheted up her attack on the Prime Minister at a time Rahul Gandhi has emerged as the most vocal critic of Modi.

Addressing a public meeting in East Midnapore's Kolaghat, Mamata took the names of several Prime Ministers - from Jawaharlal Nehru to Atal Bihari Vajpayee - to say the country has never seen the likes of the Modi government and the ruling BJP at the Centre.

A Trinamul leader said Mamata had to counter a perception that her anti-demonetisation campaign was being hijacked by others.

Later in the day, Trinamul called for a thorough investigation into the Sahara diaries that allegedly named several politicians, including Modi. This issue, too, was flagged by Rahul today.

A cabinet colleague said Mamata was likely to visit Delhi soon - either next week or the week after.