New Delhi/Kolkata: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman refuted West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's claim that the latter's 'microphone was switched off' while she was speaking at the NITI Aayog meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Mod here on Saturday. Sitharaman asserted that every CM was "allotted due time to speak".
"It's unfortunate that the chief minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, has claimed that her mic was switched off, which is not true, and it is unfortunate because we're happy that she participated in this meeting. She put forth her case, spoke for West Bengal and, as she said, spoke for all the opposition. But even as she was doing it and we were hearing, as per the procedure," FM Sitharaman said.
The Finance Minister further said, "If she's reminded that her time is over, even with the mic on, she could have requested that she will continue speaking like some other Chief Ministers did. But she chose to use it as an excuse so that she can get out of the meeting." "She should speak the truth rather than build a narrative based on falsehood," she added.
Meanwhile, speaking to the media after coming out of the meeting, Banerjee said her microphone was stopped after five minutes, while other chief ministers were allowed to speak for longer durations, adding she felt insulted after being unfairly stopped midway through her speech, despite being the only opposition leader in the meeting.
"This is insulting. I will not attend any further meetings," the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo said. "I have come out boycotting the meeting. (Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister) Chandrababu Naidu was given 20 minutes to speak. The chief ministers of Assam, Goa, and Chhattisgarh spoke for 10-12 minutes. I was stopped from speaking after just five minutes," she told reporters after coming out of the meeting of chief ministers chaired by Modi.
"This is unfair. From the opposition side, only I am representing here. I attended this meeting because of the greater interest that cooperative federalism should be strengthened," she added.
Upon reaching Kolkata later in the day, Mamata again spoke of the Niti Aayog meeting claiming she was not allowed to speak. "This is humiliation...I have no problem if Centre allocates more funds to some states, but it cannot discriminate against Bengal," she said.
Government sources said it is incorrect to say that Banerjee's microphone was switched off and asserted that the clock showed that her speaking time was over.
They further added that alphabetically, her turn would have come after lunch but she was accommodated as the seventh speaker on an official request from the West Bengal government as she had to return to Kolkata early. Banerjee said she mentioned during the meeting that the government presented a politically biased budget and asked why the Centre was discriminating among states.
"The NITI Aayog has no financial powers. How will it work? Give it financial powers or bring the Planning Commission back," she said. "I was stopped from speaking after five minutes. I said this is unfair. I am the only one present from the opposition side, I am attending this meeting because of the greater interest," she said.
Banerjee said she mentioned at the meeting that certain states were overlooked in the Union Budget for 2024-25. "I said you are politically biased, you are not giving attention to different states. Even the budget is a political, biased budget.... I told them it should be reviewed. I spoke for all states," Banerjee said.
She also pointed out at the meeting that central funds are due to West Bengal under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and Prime Minister Awas Yojana. Banerjee said she wanted to speak more but her microphone was switched off after five minutes.
"I was stopped after five minutes. Others spoke for 10-15-20 minutes. I was the only one from the opposition but I was stopped. This is insulting. I will not attend any further meetings," she said.
A PIB fact check debunked Mamata Banerjee's allegations stating that "only the clock showed that her speaking time was over." "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 (PIB) said in a post on X.
It is being claimed that the microphone of CM, West Bengal was switched off during the 9th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog#PIBFactCheck
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) July 27, 2024
▶️ This claim is #Misleading
▶️ The clock only showed that her speaking time was over. Even the bell was not rung to mark it pic.twitter.com/P4N3oSOhBk
Stalin Reacts To Mamata's Claims
Reacting to Mamata Banerjee's claims, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said that opposition parties shouldn't be treated as "enemies".
"Is this Cooperative Federalism? 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," Stalin posted on X.
Is this #CooperativeFederalism?
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) July 27, 2024
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… https://t.co/Y6TKmLUElG
States Can Play Active Role in Making India A Developed Nation By 20247: PM Modi
Chairing the 9th Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog, PM Modi said making India a developed nation by 2047 is an ambition of every Indian, and states can play an active role to achieve this aim as they are directly connected with the people.
"Viksit Bharat @ 2047 is ambition of every Indian. States can play an active role to achieve this aim as they are directly connected with the people," NITI Aayog said in a post on X quoting Modi.
The meeting focuses on making India a developed nation by 2047. It aims to foster participative governance and collaboration between the Centre and state governments, enhancing the quality of life for both rural and urban populations by strengthening the delivery mechanisms of government interventions. (With agency inputs)
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