Hitting out at Narendra Modi for calling her and her party, the TMC, “thieves” during his last week’s visit to West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said that she did not expect such words from a prime minister, and accused the BJP’s “double-engine” governments in several states of being the “biggest thieves”.“I do not expect this from the Prime Minister. I respect his chair, but he should also respect our chair. Why should he say, “I stopped the Central funds because there are thieves in Bengal”? I never expected him to call the people of West Bengal thieves…Uttar Pradesh is the biggest thief. The double-engine governments of Maharashtra and Bihar are the biggest thieves. In truth, he (PM Modi) has turned a blind eye to the corruption of the so-called double-engine BJP governments,” the TMC supremo said at a public event in Bardhaman, where she distributed land deeds and various social welfare scheme benefits to people.Accusing Modi of insulting the people of West Bengal, she lashed out at him for holding back Central funds to the state.“The state administration satisfactorily replied to all the queries of the Union government about utilisation of Central funds for welfare schemes… Yet you stop fund disbursement and call West Bengal a thief! They had sent 186 central teams to West Bengal to probe corruption charges and found nothing. How can a student accept getting zero marks after answering all the questions? We will not tolerate this insult,” she said.“You (Modi) are holding meetings with thieves and traitors and blaming Bengal. Are you not ashamed? They are shameless,” she hit out.Last Friday, addressing a rally in Kolkata, Modi alleged: “Corruption, crime and the Trinamool Congress are synonymous… The funds that the Centre sends to the West Bengal government do not reach the people but are devoured by TMC cadre.”Calling the PM “a migratory bird who appears only in the election season”, the TMC chief said: “I want you to come all 365 days a year because flight, food, and stay are free here. But remember, I do not take anything from the State fund. I have been an MP seven times. I could have drawn a pension of Rs 2.5 lakh over 14 years, but I did not take a penny. Yet no one remembers this. I pay for using any Circuit House. I use the royalties I earn from writing books. I do not want money, I want talent and self-respect.”Story continues below this adRaising the cases of deportation and detention of Bengali-speaking migrants in several BJP-ruled states of the country, the TMC chief asserted that she would not allow humiliation of any Bengali person in any corner of the country.“There are 22 lakh migrant workers from Bengal who are working in different states. They have been employed because of their skill, not out of mercy. Yet today, they are being tortured and assaulted… If you disrespect Bengal, I will be offended. You can abuse and defame me all you want, but remember that I know how to fight. I have the courage. This is my soil’s strength. You cannot scare me.”“But 1.5 crore migrants from outside Bengal are working here. And we ensure their safety, security,” the chief minister added.She also reminded Modi of “failing to do anything when Indians from Gujarat were deported by the Trump administration in shackles”.Story continues below this ad“The world salutes our talent. President Trump chased away Gujaratis from the US with their hands shackled, but he could not do the same with Bengalis,” she added.Accusing the BJP of raising the NRC (National Register of Citizens) bogey before every election, the chief minister alleged that the party is using the Election Commission to roll out Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to strike off names from the voters’ list by branding Indian citizens who crossed over during and before 1971 as Bangladeshis.“With due respect to the EC, I urge the poll panel not to become the BJP’s lollipop, abiding by every demand they make. If you do this, the people of the country will not forgive you,” she said, adding, “We will not allow them (BJP-led Centre) to carry out their agenda to harass and deport every Bengali-speaking citizen by labeling them as Bangladeshis.”Invoking the Bengali pride, Mamata targeted the BJP and its ideological mentor, the RSS, for dividing Bengal. “In 1947, after Independence, what did you do during the Partition? While partitioning India, you partitioned Bengal and Punjab. In Andaman Cellular Jail, over 700 Bengalis were imprisoned – 90 per cent were Bengalis and 10 per cent were Punjabis in the freedom struggle. They knew that they could not suppress Bengal; that is why they divided Bengal and Punjab… We did not create Bangladesh next to us. It was you and your forefathers. What can we do if the language is the same? Bengali is an international language. If people speak in Bengali, they are refused at hotels, not allowed to work, and not allowed to study. We will speak in Bengali. We will speak in other languages too because we respect them. But why should I not speak in Bengali? Are your brains completely barren? There are two national anthems in Bengali, India’s and Bangladesh’s. Do not forget Bengal’s history. We will say ‘Joy Bangla’. This is our slogan. No matter how much you hate us, we will not tolerate this linguistic persecution. Today, you are in power. So, you are doing this. But what will you do when you are no longer in power? Remember, charity begins at home,” the chief minister said.Story continues below this adHitting out at the BJP and the PM for “peddling lies” in the past about Durga Puja celebrations not being allowed in West Bengal, she said: “Earlier, they used to say that Mamata Banerjee does not allow Durga Puja in Bengal. This time, you (Modi) are saying you can feel the Durga Puja festive vibes in Kolkata air. This shows how you build false narratives and spread lies.”“Now, the same people are saying “Joy Maa Durga”. It is because the elections are near and they are vote-seekers. They have only one religion, the manufactured Hindutva. They created this and want to impose it on people. This will not happen now, not even in a thousand years. We will not bow down,” the CM added.2.26 lakh pattas for building homes given: CMChief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said since coming to power in 2011, her government has given 2.26 lakh pattas (land deeds) for building homes across the state, ensuring the right of land to one living on a plot for years.During the TMC regime, the state has been able to provide water supply to 76 per cent of rural areas and 78 per cent of urban areas, and cover the rest of the areas soon, she said.Story continues below this ad“We believe in following up on our promises. After 2011, we provided 2.26 lakh home pattas, 1.80 lakh agricultural land pattas, and over 47,000 forest pattas across the state. In Purba Bardhaman alone, 28,840 pattas, 832 refugee pattas, and 1,443 forest pattas have been distributed. We will give another 24,000 pattas in the coming days. Many projects are underway here,” she said.The chief minister said her government will transform all mud houses into pucca ones.‘GST health insurance waiver to cost Bengal Rs 900 cr annually’CM Banerjee on Tuesday said the waiver of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on health insurance premiums, if implemented, will hit the state’s exchequer by around Rs 900 crore annually.Story continues below this adA proposal to exempt health insurance and a bulk of goods from GST is expected to come up when the GST Council meets early next month.Banerjee said it was West Bengal that first pushed for a GST exemption on health insurance to make medical cover more affordable for the common people.