Furious CM Banerjee boycotts NITI Aayog meeting over allegation of muzzling
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee notified the press that she has boycotted the NITI Aayog meeting after stepping out of the premises in New Delhi, highlighting that her voice and opinions were muzzled after she raised valid concerns over a number of sectors.
As reported by PTI, Mamata Banerjee said, “I have come out boycotting the meeting. Chandrababu Naidu was given 20 minutes to speak, CMs of Assam, Goa and Chhattisgarh spoke for 10-12 minutes. I was stopped from speaking after just five minutes. This is unfair. From the opposition side, only I am representing here, and attending this meeting because of the greater interest that cooperative federalism should be strengthened. Even the Budget also … this is politically biased Budget. I said why are you discriminating against other states. NITI Aayog has no financial powers, how will it work? Give it financial powers or bring back Planning Commission.”
She further said that she was there to strengthen cooperative federalism and that sharing regional aspirations would only make the Union strong, as many states, including Bengal, were deprived in the Budget.
Banerjee went on to raise her points on MGNREGS funds being frozen for Bengal, and that all states should be treated equally. She said that she was there to speak on behalf of all the states which had been deprived in the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, which was presented on the floor of the Parliament on the 23rd of this month.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has come to Banerjee’s defence, by posting on his X handle.
“Is this #CooperativeFederalism?
Is this the way to treat a Chief Minister?
The Union BJP government must understand that opposition parties are an integral part of our democracy and should not be treated as enemies to be silenced.
Cooperative Federalism requires dialogue and respect for all voices.”
