Hillary said she was waiting to meet me: Mamata

In an hour-long meet with the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said she discussed health, education, human rights, and developmental policies in West Bengal but stayed away from discussing FDI in retail or sharing waters of the Teesta river with Bangladesh.

Banerjee pleased with the meet, said that she had a “very positive, constructive, creative and concrete discussion” with Hillary Clinton.

She said US has promised West Bengal to be an investment partner and bring about development in the state. “We will have to overcome the Rs 40 billion debt figure, the US has promised all help,” she said.

Banerjee said that her claims of West Bengal being an ideal investment destination had been proved correct by Clinton by saying the US will invest in Bengal.

Clinton, arrived in West Bengal on Sunday to meet Banerjee as part of her three-day India visit. After her meeting with the Chief Minister she was to visit New Delhi.

Banerjee said that Clinton had appreciated the West Bengal government’s passion for work and their focus on implementing developmental policies. She also said that Clinton has congratulated her for bringing in a new government in the state after a long political battle.

On the issue of foreign investment, Banerjee said, “We will invest wherever we can, will allow foreign investment only where it is necessary.” However, the Chief Minister said there was no discussion on FDI in retail with Clinton.

Banerjee said she has asked Clinton to help develop tourism in West Bengal, since the state is the nation’s cultural capital. She also discussed “integration of Hollywood, Bollywood and Tollywood, as entertainment binds all.”

Clinton has said that she wanted to meet Mamata for a long time and gave her a scarf with Tagore painted on it, while Mamata gave her four books of Tagore and Vivekananda that she personally brought it from Belur Moth.