Mamata demands three-day mourning, criticises Modi for flagging-off train

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday demanded that the Centre should declare three-day mourning for the slain CRPF troopers in the Pulwama terror strike, and criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for flagging off the Vande Bharat Express in the aftermath of the tragic incident.

"I am sorry to say that the Prime Minister inaugurated one rail project on Friday. If anything serious happens, we should avoid all political and even government programmes," Banerjee told mediapersons here on her return from New Delhi.

Modi flagged off the indigenously built Train 18, now christened as the Vande Bharat Express, from the New Delhi railway station on Friday.

Banerjee also attacked the Prime Minister for not declaring three-day mourning.

"Why didn't he (Modi) declare three days' mourning? Only when political leaders die, three-day mourning is declared, not when so many people die. You do not understand the feelings of the people.

"I demand 72-hour mourning for the CRPF troopers as they sacrificed their lives for the nation. At least for (showing) national respect," she said.