'Your mother is like ours too...': Mamata Banerjee's emotional words for PM Modi

New Delhi, Dec 30: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Benerjee on Friday offered an emotional condolence to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his mother Heerabhen Modi's death. Heeraben passed away at a hospital in Ahmedabad on Friday. It is noteworthy to mention, that PM Modi on Friday virtually flagged off the Vande Bharat express connecting Howrah and New Jalpaiguri, just an hour after laying his mother to rest.

Just before the inauguration, Mamata Banerjee said, "On behalf of the people of West Bengal, I thank you so much for giving us this opportunity. It's a sad day for you. Your mother means our mother also. May god give you the strength to continue your work, please take some rest."

Earlier in the day, high drama prevailed at Howrah Station on Friday as a visibly annoyed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee refused to get up on the dais from where the Vande Bharat express to New Jalpaiguri will be flagged off.

Banerjee seemed upset by the loud sloganeering from a section of the invited crowd at the railway station.

Attempts by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Governor C V Ananda Bose to pacify her did not bear fruit, as the chief minister chose to seat on a chair along with the audience.

The Vande Bharat Express connecting Howrah and New Jalpaiguri, the gateway to the northeast, as well as several development projects, will be virtually inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday.