"You (Banerjee) are a good painter. I have heard earlier your paintings used to be sold for Rs.4 lakh, Rs.8 lakh, Rs.15 lakh. But what is the reason behind your painting once being sold for Rs.1.8 crore," Modi asked at the rally.
Describing Modi as "arrogant and a snob", Trinamool spokesperson and state Finance Minister Amit Mitra threatened to file a defamation suit and accused the BJP leader of misleading the nation with his "baseless claims of development".
"Someone, whose hands are stained with the blood of riots in Gujarat, is making personal attacks against Didi (Banerjee). We will bring out facts to prove how Modi is misleading the nation with his baseless claims of development," said Mitra.
He also raised questions about alleged underselling of the government-owned BALCO and a scam involving the Unit Trust of India (UTI) when the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was in power.
"He should apologise in public or we will file a defamation suit because his charges are patently false," said Mitra.
He claimed that the sale proceeds of Banerjee's paintings were donated to a relief fund and used for funding the election.
