BJP vs Trinamool Over Mamata Banerjee's 'Gotra' Draws In Rohingya, "Demons"

West Bengal elections: Trinamool Congress's Mahua Moitra and BJP's Locket Chatterjee faced-off over Union Minister Giriraj Singh's comment about Mamata Banerjee's 'Gotra'

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's "gotra" or sub-caste fanned a dust-up between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP for the second day on Wednesday as Union Minister Giriraj Singh's comment linking her to Rohingya Muslims amped up the shrillness of an exceptionally polarised election. Union Minister Giriraj Says Mamata's from 'Rohingya Clan'Proud of it.Far better than being from the Chotiwala Rakshasa Clan! Proud of being a Rohingya and calling Hindus Rakshas is a new low even by TMC's otherwise low standards! Shame on their appeasement politics... https://t.co/GdZagEoQFO Playing one final card on Tuesday just before the curtains came down on campaigning for the second phase of the Bengal election that will include her prospective seat of Nandigram, Ms Banerjee told voters she belonged to the 'Shandilya gotra' - one of the eight highest Brahmin 'gotras'. At a rally in the constituency that which will see a high-stakes prestige battle between Ms Banerjee and her aide-turned-rival Suvendu Adhikari - the Chief Minister led off by reminiscing about visits to temples, where priests asked her for her 'gotra' or lineage. "During my second campaign, I visited a temple where the priest enquired about my 'gotra'. I told him 'Maa Maati Manush' (the slogan that powered her to victory in 2011)," Ms Banerjee said, before adding, "Actually I am 'Shandilya'."