Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s comment describing Kolkata as a “garbage city” has sparked sharp criticism from West Bengal's ruling TMC, which termed the remark as "insensitive." The party also invited him to visit the city to see its cleanliness and development for himself.
Commenting on pollution in major cities at an event in Hyderabad on Thursday, the Telangana chief minister referred to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari's reported remarks that he avoids visiting Delhi due to its severe pollution, which often leads him to catch infections.
He wondered "whether Delhi is still a livable city." "Similarly, you have seen traffic jams in Bengaluru. You have seen the situation of using boats if it rains in Chennai. You are watching the situation of being washed away in Mumbai. I don't have to tell you about Kolkata. The situation is such that Kolkata would stand first if it competes among garbage cities in the world," Reddy said.
The TMC strongly objected to the statement.
Party spokesperson Riju Dutta called it “insensitive” and highlighted Kolkata’s cultural and developmental progress.
“His remarks are insensitive. Kolkata is the City of Joy and the cultural capital of India. The city is developing rapidly. I would suggest that he take some time to visit Kolkata and see for himself how clean and beautiful the city is,” Dutta said.
Echoing similar sentiments, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Dola Sen dismissed Reddy’s comment as baseless.
“We don’t want to respond to such unfounded claims. Kolkata is one of the cleanest cities in the country,” Sen said.
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