West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee walked out of the NITI Aayog meeting, accusing the organizers of unfair treatment and discrimination. Banerjee claimed that her microphone was deliberately turned off while she was speaking, preventing her from completing her speech. She also noted that Chandrababu Naidu was given 20 minutes to speak, while the Chief Ministers of Assam, Goa, and Chhattisgarh spoke for 10-12 minutes.
Speaking to reporters, Mamata Banerjee said, “While I was speaking, my mic was stopped. I asked why they stopped me and why they were discriminating. I am attending the meeting, and instead of appreciating that, they gave more time to members of their party and government. I was the only representative from the opposition, and they stopped me from speaking. This is not just an insult to Bengal but to all regional parties.
Mamata Banerjee added, “Chandrababu Naidu was given 20 minutes to speak, and the Chief Ministers of Assam, Goa, and Chhattisgarh spoke for 10-12 minutes. I was stopped after just five minutes. This is unfair. As the only representative from the opposition, I attended the meeting because I believe in the importance of cooperative federalism. I also criticized the politically biased Budget and questioned why other states are being discriminated against. NITI Aayog lacks financial powers, so how can it function effectively? Either give it financial powers or reinstate the Planning Commission.