India

Centre Disputes Mamata Banerjee’s Claim Of Being Muted At Key NITI Aayog Meeting

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has alleged “political discrimination” during a key NITI Aayog meeting in Delhi, intended to allow states to present their concerns to the Prime Minister. Banerjee was the sole Chief Minister from a non-BJP-ruled state to attend the meeting, as other INDIA bloc leaders boycotted the event.

After abruptly leaving the meeting, the Trinamool chief claimed her microphone was muted, and she was given only 5 minutes to speak, while others were allowed 10-20 minutes. “I said the Centre shouldn’t discriminate against state governments. I wanted to speak, but my mic was muted. I was allowed to speak only for 5 minutes, while people before me spoke for 10-20 minutes,” Banerjee told reporters. “I was the only one from the opposition participating, yet I was not allowed to speak. This is insulting,” she added.

Despite the INDIA bloc Chief Ministers boycotting the meeting, Mamata Banerjee had intended to address the ‘political discrimination’ against Bengal in the Union Budget.

Also read: J&K Police Offer Rs 5 Lakh Reward For Information On Terrorists In Doda

The Centre, however, refuted Banerjee’s claims, stating that her microphone was not muted. “It is being claimed that the microphone of CM, West Bengal, was switched off during the 9th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog. This claim is misleading. The clock only showed that her speaking time was over. Even the bell was not rung to mark it,” the Press Information Bureau said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Other opposition leaders, citing the ‘raw deal’ they received in the Union Budget, refused to attend. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin initiated the boycott, followed by Congress-ruled states like Himachal Pradesh’s Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, Karnataka’s Siddaramaiah, and Telangana’s Revanth Reddy. Additionally, the Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, as well as the Chief Ministers of Jharkhand and Kerala, Hemant Soren and Pinarayi Vijayan, also decided to skip the event.

Kavya Bhatt

Recent Posts

Jamia Students Back Waqf Amendment Bill; Call It A Step Toward Empowerment

The student group 'Shaher-E-Arzoo' expressed firm support for the Waqf Amendment Bill, calling it a…

1 hour ago

India’s Exports To The US Face Limited Impact From Tariff Hike: SBI Report

The 27% tariff hike by US President Donald Trump on Indian goods will have only…

2 hours ago

Waqf Freed From Mafia Control, New Era Of Development Begins For Muslims: MRM

Following the passage of the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 in both Houses of Parliament, celebrations…

3 hours ago

India’s Forex Reserves Surge To $665.4 Billion; Rupee Strengthens As Trade Deficit Narrows

India’s forex reserves jumped $6.6 billion to a five-month high of $665.4 billion for the…

4 hours ago

Laxmi Singh Leads Gautam Buddha Nagar Police To Historic No 1 Rank In IGRS Across All Stations

Gautam Buddha Nagar Police, led by CP Laxmi Singh, achieved a historic feat with all…

4 hours ago

Avoid Rhetoric That Vitiates Atmosphere, Ensure Safety Of Hindus In Bangladesh: PM Modi Tells Yunus

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on Bangladesh to bring perpetrators of atrocities against Hindus and…

5 hours ago