Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for calling Trinamool Congress leaders “thieves,” urging him to respect her office as she respects his.

Speaking at a government event in East Burdwan, Banerjee accused Modi of targeting Bengal while ignoring corruption in BJP-ruled states. “The Prime Minister should respect my chair as I respect his. I never expected him to call the people of Bengal ‘thieves’,” she said, questioning why central probe teams are repeatedly sent to West Bengal but not to Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, or Bihar.

Banerjee also mocked Modi for visiting the state only during the polls. “They come here like migratory birds, only during elections. Our party works for the people throughout the year,” she remarked. Watch the video below:

Refuting charges that Trinamool leaders siphoned off central funds, Banerjee said her government had responded to all queries. “They sent 186 central teams to Bengal but found nothing. Yet they block our funds and brand us thieves. This insult will not be tolerated,” she said.

Highlighting the issue of migrant workers, the CM alleged that Bengalis face harassment in states like Gujarat, Haryana, and Odisha. “About 1.5 crore migrant workers from other states live in Bengal without facing attacks. We treat them as our own,” she added.

Banerjee further said that Bengalis’ intellectual contributions are globally acknowledged. “Harvard, Oxford, Columbia, and San Francisco cannot run without Bengalis,” she claimed, adding that even though “Donald Trump chased away Gujaratis,” Bengalis continue to be valued internationally.

Her remarks came days after PM Modi, during his Bengal visit, accused Trinamool leaders of massive corruption and misusing central welfare funds.