PM Modi dares Mamata Banerjee to arrest him for chanting 'Jai Shri Ram'

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday got angry at a group of purported BJP supporters shouting "Jai Sree Ram" in front of her convoy in West Midnapore district's Chandrakona.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks at a public rally. Photo: Getty Images

JHARGRAM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday dared West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to arrest him for chanting 'Jai Shri Ram'. Modi's dig at Banerjee comes a day after three people were taken into police custody in Ghatal Lok Sabha seat for allegedly mouthing the slogan as her convoy passed by.  The slogan is frequently used by the leaders and activists of the saffron party. A video showing Banerjee fuming at some villagers in West Midnapore district for chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' along a highway on Saturday afternoon has gone viral on social media. "Didi has thrown people in jail for chanting 'Jai Shri Ram'. I thought of saying Jai Shri Ram here today so that she can throw me inside jail too. That way, the people of Bengal might be protected from the wrath of TMC regime," PTI quoted Modi as saying. The incident took place at Ballavpur village near Chandrakona town on Saturday afternoon when the Trinamool Congress supremo was coming back after holding an election rally in the district's Ghatal constituency in support of her party's Lok Sabha candidate Dev. "Come here. Why are you guys running away? Come here," said Banerjee, clearly infuriated by the locals' behaviour. She also alleged that some of the people gathered on both sides of the road were using abusive language. Addressing a rally Jhargram, Modi also slammed CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury for his "derogatory" remarks against Ramayana and Mahabharata. "It has become a fashion for communists to use derogatory language against Hindu religion," he said. Yechury recently branded religious epics Ramayana and Mahabharata as specimens of Hindu violence. The Ramayana and Mahabharata are "filled with instances of violence," the CPI(M) leader had said. Taking a dig at Banerjee, Modi also said "Didi is banking on her "Mahamilawat gang" to become the prime minister of the country". "Her dream of becoming the PM has already gone for a toss. Mamata won't be able to bag even 10 seats in Bengal," he added. (With inputs from agencies)