Kolkata, Nov 29 (IANS): At a time when Union Home Minister Amit Shah was launching a scathing attack on the Trinamool Congress and the West Bengal Government during a BJP rally in central Kolkata on Wednesday, the state’s Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee made a counterclaim in the Assembly. She said that those who turned the people of the country into beggars are now labeling her party leaders as thieves.

"The BJP has purchased everything. They have sold a number of Public Sector Units. They are denying legitimate funds to the state government for the various centrally-sponsored schemes. The Union Government is accumulating huge amounts in the form of the Goods and Services Tax from West Bengal and still they are denying our dues.

“Before the elections, the BJP sends central teams alleging political violence and after the polls it sends central agencies to the houses of Trinamool Congress legislators,” the Chief Minister said.

Speaking on the occasion, she also issued a note of caution for the BJP legislators. “We are keeping a watch on who all are hiding their ill-gotten wealth and where they are hiding it. You are in power in New Delhi and hence you can use central agencies against us. But when you will be out of power you will have to pay for the tortures inflicted on the common people,” she said.

The chief minister also made it amply clear that the state government was not in a position to pay Dearness Allowance (DA) to the state government employees at par with the central government employees and arrears accrued on it.

“Payment of DA is not mandatory on part of the state government. It is an option. The state exchequer is being drained because of repaying the accumulated dues left back by the previous Left Front regime. But we compensate that with additional annual leaves for the state government employees,” she said.