At a meeting of the NITI Aayog held in Delhi yesterday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee got upset over the allotted speaking time. Speaking to the media, Banerjee slammed the central government for its alleged discriminatory behavior toward state governments. She was the only opposition leader attending the meeting.
#WATCH | On NITI Aayog meeting in Delhi, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee says, "…I said you (central government) should not discriminate against state governments. I wanted to speak but I was allowed to speak only for 5 minutes. People before me spoke for 10-20 minutes. I was… pic.twitter.com/nOgNQ9jnRd
— ANI (@ANI) July 27, 2024
“I said you (central government) should not discriminate against state governments. I wanted to speak but I was allowed to speak only for 5 minutes. People before me spoke for 10-20 minutes. I was the only one from the opposition who was participating but still, I was not allowed to speak. This is insulting,” Banerjee stated. Her comments reflect a broader concern about fairness and equal representation in discussions involving state and central governments.
Her remarks underscore ongoing tensions and reflect her frustration over the procedural treatment extended to her. The criticism came against the backdrop of strained ties between state governments and the central administration, in which opposition voices had to be included in important policy discussions.