West Bengal: CM Mamata Banerjee Attends Niti Aayog Meeting Amid Criticism Over Bengal Division And Budget Concerns

Kolkata/ New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday had left for the national capital to attend Niti Aayog meeting on Saturday. Talking to the media, Mamata said that she will try to speak about my state in the meeting.

“I have taken the decision to attend Niti Aayog before the budget. In the budget Opposition states including Bengal have been deprived. We cannot take this discrimination. They say it is cooperative federalism but in practice it's a one-sided thing,” said Mamata.

Speaking about the recent talks and proposals on ‘division’ of Bengal, Mamata added, “Division of Bengal and several blockades are being done. The Union minister is saying of division. This division means division of the country. Different party members are giving different statements to divide Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and other states. I condemn this. I will go and record my voice in the meeting. I will try to speak about my state. If I don’t get the chance I will protest. Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren is also attending the same.”

Asked that those part of I.N.D.I.A bloc had boycotted the Niti Aayog meeting to which the West Bengal Chief Minister mentioned that the decision taken earlier then she would have thought of something else.

CPI (M) and Congress however, had slammed Mamata and said that everyone is aware that ‘TMC has ties with BJP’. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Shamik Bhattacharya said, “BJP is happy to see that good thought prevailed and the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will attend the meeting.”