Fresh row between Left and Trinamool over Railways ad

Kolkata, Jan 12 (PTI) A Railway advertisement triggered afresh political spat between the West Bengal government andTrinamool Congress with the ruling CPI-M today accusing MamataBanerjee of using railway funds to propagate her party''scause.

"She is advertising her party and the expense is borneby the Railways. People understand what they are doing," BimanBose, the CPI-M state secretary, told reporters here whilereacting to the Railways advertisement that appeared innewspapers yesterday.

The slogan ''Agriculture is our inspiration, industry isour perception'' appeared in an advertisement by the EasternRailways for laying of foundation stone by Railways MinisterBanerjee for an AC container and bogie manufacturing factoryat Budge Budge in South 24 Parganas district.

Stating that these words were not of the Railways, butthat of Trinamool Congress, Bose, the Left Front chairman,said "Railways is not making profits and because of her ways,it is likely to be in deep financial trouble."

However, Senior Trinamool Congress leader ParthaChatterjee denied the allegations, saying "it is they who doit."

He told PTI that all state government advertisementswere captioned ''Left Front Government'' and not ''Government ofWest Bengal government''. "Why is it so? Do you find a BJPgovernment or a Congress government in the advertisements ofother state governments?"

Alleging that the CPI(M) has been usurping public moneyfor the last three and half decades for its benefit,Chatterjee said, "Those who use public money for their partyare saying this. Do they understand what was written in theadvertisement?"

There was a row earlier in September last year when aRailways advertisement for the foundation laying ceremony of adouble line from Prinsep Ghat station to Tata station featureda picture of Mamata Banerjee wearing a hijab and offeringNamaz.

The advertisement that portrayed the Railways''development projects as Eid gifts, also contained Islamicmotifs such as a crescent moon, a star and the outlines of amosque in the background.