Express News Service
KOLKATA: Political sparring notwithstanding, there is a certain civility some top-rung netas continue to observe. Take West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. If she does not miss any opportunity to go for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s jugular, she also does not forget to send him an annual gift hamper of the choicest of mangoes.
A decorated 4 kg box, with the tagline, “Best wishes from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee”, comprising handpicked pieces of the king of fruits will be sent to the 7, Lok Kalyan Marg residence of Modi in a day or two. Sources said the box will contain popular varieties like Himsagar, Fazli and Lakshmanbhog.
Similar gifts from Mamata will also reach the doorstep of President Draupadi Murmu and Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud as well.
Though Didi, as she is popularly known, has been sending gift hampers to Modi every year, this year it is curious. For, less than 24 hours before the mango diplomacy, she had launched a withering attack on the Centre for tasking the CBI with the probe into the recent Odisha rail accident that killed 288 passengers, alleging “this is not the time to suppress the truth.”
Mamata alleged that the accident took place because of railway negligence, adding that had the anti-collision device introduced during her stint as Union railway minister been in place, the tragedy could have been averted.
“The CM has launched a full-scale attack against the Centre. Let us now see if the national fruit can inject any sweetness in the state-Centre relationship,” quipped a senior Trinamool Congress leader. Another leader known for her mango diplomacy is Bangladesh PM, Sheikh Hasina. She had sent 2,600 kg of the fruit two years ago as a gift to Modi, Mamata and others. At an average production of 26 lakh metric tonnes, Bengal stands sixth in mango yield across the country.
KOLKATA: Political sparring notwithstanding, there is a certain civility some top-rung netas continue to observe. Take West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. If she does not miss any opportunity to go for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s jugular, she also does not forget to send him an annual gift hamper of the choicest of mangoes.
A decorated 4 kg box, with the tagline, “Best wishes from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee”, comprising handpicked pieces of the king of fruits will be sent to the 7, Lok Kalyan Marg residence of Modi in a day or two. Sources said the box will contain popular varieties like Himsagar, Fazli and Lakshmanbhog.
Similar gifts from Mamata will also reach the doorstep of President Draupadi Murmu and Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud as well.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
Though Didi, as she is popularly known, has been sending gift hampers to Modi every year, this year it is curious. For, less than 24 hours before the mango diplomacy, she had launched a withering attack on the Centre for tasking the CBI with the probe into the recent Odisha rail accident that killed 288 passengers, alleging “this is not the time to suppress the truth.”
Mamata alleged that the accident took place because of railway negligence, adding that had the anti-collision device introduced during her stint as Union railway minister been in place, the tragedy could have been averted.
“The CM has launched a full-scale attack against the Centre. Let us now see if the national fruit can inject any sweetness in the state-Centre relationship,” quipped a senior Trinamool Congress leader. Another leader known for her mango diplomacy is Bangladesh PM, Sheikh Hasina. She had sent 2,600 kg of the fruit two years ago as a gift to Modi, Mamata and others. At an average production of 26 lakh metric tonnes, Bengal stands sixth in mango yield across the country.
