Prime Minister Narendra Modi - whose silence on the "Jai Shri Ram" slogan episode during his last visit to Bengal was questioned by the state's ruling Trinamool Congress - made his position clear on Sunday.
"Bengal loves football. So let me speak in that language. Trinamool has made many fouls, one after the other. The foul of misgovernance, attacks on opposition leaders, theft of money... The people of Bengal are watching. Bengal will soon show Trinamool the Ram card," the Prime Minister said at a function in Haldia, the home turf of former minister Suvendu Adhikari, who left Trinamool to join the BJP in December.
Ms Banerjee, still smarting from the January 23 episode when "Jai Shri Ram" slogans were shouted at the programme at Victoria Memorial, sent a negative RSVP for Sunday's event.
What had stung her party more was the Prime Minister's silence about the episode. "His silence condones the behaviour of the BJP supporters," Bengal's urban affairs minister Firhad Hakim had said.
The Chief Minister, known to get upset at "Jai Shri Ram slogans" - which have become a battle cry for the BJP in the state - had refused to continue with her speech at the event after some people from back rows shouted the slogans as she rose to speak.
"This is not a political programme. Government programmes should have some dignity. It is not fair to insult someone you have invited," she had said, before stepping down.
Her stance got support from traditional rivals - the Congress and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M).
"The PM has damaged his own position by allowing this. No one has the right to insult Mamata Banerjee... our chief minister... like this. It was an attack by Hindu communalists on Bengal's culture. A communal and political assault on Bengal," Congress's Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had said.
"She did the right thing by refusing to give her speech. Why couldn't she speak? Because BJP held a party programme on government money. This is wrong. A wrong is a wrong. Bengal has been wronged," CPI(M) leader Md Salim said.
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