West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee left a meeting led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NITI Aayog on Saturday, citing that she was interrupted and cut short while speaking.
Banerjee, who heads the Trinamool Congress (TMC), expressed her frustration, stating that she was only allowed to speak for about 5 minutes, while other participants were given approximately 20 minutes each to share their views.
She detailed her grievances, highlighting that when she requested additional funds for West Bengal, advocated for the reinstatement of the Planning Commission, and urged the Central government to ensure fair treatment of all states, her microphone was suddenly muted. Feeling disrespected and perceiving this as an insult to Bengal, Banerjee chose to leave the meeting halfway and walked out.
Her departure from the meeting underscores the ongoing tensions between the state government of West Bengal and the Central government, with Banerjee voicing concerns over what she sees as unequal treatment and a lack of consideration for the state’s needs.
Mamata Banerjee Claims Discrimination at NITI Aayog Meeting
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the central government of “political discrimination” during a crucial NITI Aayog meeting in Delhi. The meeting, meant for states to voice their concerns to the Prime Minister, saw Ms. Banerjee as the sole Chief Minister from a non-BJP ruled state, with other leaders from the INDIA bloc choosing to boycott the event.
Mamata Banerjee left the meeting in frustration, alleging that her microphone was turned off and she was only given five minutes to speak, compared to the 10-20 minutes allotted to others before her. She criticized the central government for what she described as unfair treatment of state governments.
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Debate Over Niti Aayog’s Role
Government sources refuted her claim, stating that her speaking time had concluded and she was scheduled to speak again after lunch. “She was given a slot as the seventh speaker following an official request from the West Bengal government because she needed to leave early,” the sources explained.
In her speech, she renewed her call to dismantle the Niti Aayog and reinstate the Planning Commission. “The Niti Aayog lacks financial authority; how can it function effectively? Either grant it financial powers or bring back the Planning Commission,” she asserted.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was also notably absent from the Niti Aayog meeting in New Delhi. Instead, Bihar was represented by Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha.
The opposition states chose to boycott the meeting as a protest against what they termed a “discriminatory” Union Budget. They claimed that the Budget unfairly favored Bihar and Andhra Pradesh, both governed by NDA allies JD(U) and TDP.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q.1. Why did Mamata Banerjee leave the NITI Aayog meeting?
Ans. Mamata Banerjee left the meeting citing political discrimination, claiming she was only given five minutes to speak and her microphone was muted.
Q.2. What issues did Mamata Banerjee raise during the meeting?
Ans. She requested additional funds for West Bengal, advocated for reinstating the Planning Commission, and called for fair treatment of all states.
Q.3. How did the central government respond to Banerjee’s allegations?
Ans. Government sources refuted her claims, stating her speaking time was scheduled after lunch and that she was given a slot as the seventh speaker upon request.
Q.4. Which other Chief Minister was absent from the meeting?
Ans. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was absent, with the state represented by Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha.
Q.5. Why did other opposition states boycott the NITI Aayog meeting?
Ans. Opposition states boycotted the meeting in protest against the Union Budget, which they claimed unfairly favored states governed by NDA allies.
