PMO humiliated me, tweets posted to tarnish my image: Mamata on Cyclone Yaas review meet

In just three weeks since the Trinamool Congress returned to power, the face-off between the West Bengal government and the BJP-led Central government has sharply intensified with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Friday skipping a review meeting on cyclone Yaas called by PM Modi.

Day after Mamata Banerjee skipped a review meeting on Cyclone Yaas chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the West Bengal Chief Minister Saturday alleged that the PMO has “humiliated” her and “tarnished her image by posting tweets” on the meet.

Stating that she “felt insulted,” Banerjee asked why BJP leaders and the governor were called to the review meeting when it was meant to be between the PM and the CM.

Mamata was referring to a tweet by BJP’s Sambit Patra showing a photo of PM Modi, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar and other Central ministers waiting for the CM to turn up for the review meeting.

In just three weeks since the Trinamool Congress returned to power, the face-off between the West Bengal government and the BJP-led Central government has sharply intensified with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Friday skipping a review meeting on Cyclone Yaas called by PM Modi.

Further, sharpening her attack on the Centre and Modi, she said, “If the prime minister asks me to touch his feet for the welfare of the people of Bengal, I am ready to do that, but I should not be insulted”.

Elaborating on Friday’s events, Mamata said, “When we reached, the meeting had started. They asked us to sit… I asked them to allow us a minute to submit the report. But the SPG told us that the meeting will be after one hour. I saw empty chairs in conference room…I was told that the meeting was between the CM and the PM, but why were there other BJP leaders?”

“As part of some plan, they were showing some vacant chairs. Why would I sit when I could see political party leaders who were not entitled to attend the meeting,” Mamata was quoted as saying by ANI.

“I did meet the PM,” she added.

She further said that she handed over the report to the PM and took his permission before she left the meeting venue.

Though Mamata did not attend the review meeting, she along with Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay met Modi ahead of it and submitted two reports demanding Rs 10,000 crore each for the development of Digha and Sunderban.

In an “unusual move,” as pointed out by Trinamool leaders, Suvendu Adhikari, a former Trinamool leader, who had switched to the BJP ahead of state elections, and is the Leader of Opposition now, and other BJP leaders, attended the meeting, which was supposed to be held between the state government (CM and state officials) and the Centre (PM and Union officials). The ruling party has also blamed the Centre for indulging in political impropriety.

Meanwhile, as the Chief Minister did not the attend the review meeting, the Centre recalled Chief Secretary Bandyopadhyay to Delhi to serve the Union government. The Centre had just four days back on May 24 approved a proposal by the state to extend his tenure by three months till August 31.

The TMC has bit back at the Centre’s decision to seek the services of Bandyopadhyay alleging that it was because the
people of the state gave an overwhelming mandate to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

TMC MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy described it as “forced central deputation” of the chief secretary. “Has this ever happened since Independence? Forced central deputation of a Chief Secretary of a state? How much lower will Modi-Shah’s BJP stoop,” Roy said.

“All because people of Bengal humiliated the duo and chose Mamata Banerjee with an overwhelming mandate,” he added.

TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said the decision was taken to derail the good work done by Bandyopadhyay, “a true soldier of Mamata Banerjee”.

Meanwhile, top BJP leaders have criticised Banerjee for not attending the PM’s meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah describing her conduct as “an unfortunate low”.

Source: Read Full Article