'Never Seen Anything Like This': Mamata Banerjee On Indian Cricket Team Saffron Kit

On Friday (17 November), Mamata Banerjee sharply criticised the BJP over the saffron colour of the Indian cricket team's practice kit.

This criticism came just two days before the World Cup final between India and Australia at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi stadium.

“Renaming everything… painting everything saffron,” the Bengal chief minister said while addressing the inauguration event for several Jagaddhatri Pujas at Posta Bazar.

“We are proud of our Indian players and I believe they will be World Cup champions. Usko bhi gerua bana diya (That too they have turned saffron)! Their practice colours are now saffron. I have never seen anything like this," she said.

On 6 November, Mamata had criticised the Prime Minister without directly naming him regarding the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the venue for the upcoming World Cup final between India and Australia.

Mamata had said: “I don’t get stadiums built in my name. I need no publicity…. I do not need it.”

Continuing her attack on Friday, the West Bengal CM said that she had no desire to have anything named after herself or her parents.

“After my parents passed away, many had suggested… I had refused. Neither had they (her parents) ever desired it nor have I,” the Trinamul Congress chief said.

Banerjee added that she desired nothing more than being able to live a truly humane life.

She went on to ridicule the BJP-led central government for its penchant for publicity.

"Those whom the common people remember will be truly remembered by one and all…. Have you noticed? Even the Metro stations are being painted saffron,” she said.

Referring to the Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati's self-statue in Uttar Pradesh, Mamata mentioned that she had never come across anyone else in India doing something similar.

“Now, everything is in the name of NaMoste (apparently an allusion to the Prime Minister). Not namaste to the people. This simply cannot go on. Do it in the name of the country, I have no issues,” she said.

“Do it in the name of some leader from Gujarat, I have no objection, as long as that person is truly a leader of the nation. Pick somebody from Uttar Pradesh or Bihar or Rajasthan or from south India, any place, go ahead and do it," she added.