Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Suvendu Adhikari on Friday slammed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after the latter arrived 30 minutes late for a review meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Governor Jagdeep Dhankar on the impact of Cyclone Yaas in the state.
Reportedly, PM Modi had a 15-minute meeting with Banerjee at Kalaikunda Air Base in Bengal's West Midnapore district. However, they were to hold a review meeting later to assess damage but the Chief Minister skipped it. In her defence, Banerjee said she was not made aware of the meeting in time. "Prime Minister called the meeting... we (her office) didn't know. I had a meeting in Digha (but) I went to Kalaikunda and gave the report asking for ₹ 20,000 crore. I told him you (state officials) wanted to meet me. I took his permission and left," Banerjee was quoted by news agency ANI.
When she arrived for the review meeting, 30 minutes late, Banerjee reportedly handed over papers related to the impact of Cyclone Yaas and said that she had other meetings lined up and left.
The Nandigram MLA termed it a "dark day in India’s long-standing ethos of cooperative federalism". "CM @MamataOfficial has shown once again that she is insensitive to the sufferings of the people of West Bengal," he said.
In a series of tweets, Adhikari said Banerjee's behaviour "reflects her dictatorial nature and lack of respect for constitutional values". "Instead of working with the PM for the betterment of West Bengal, she is indulging in petty politics. Her skipping the meeting is disgusting," he added.
"If her track record is anything to go by, @MamataOfficial Didi’s administration was unable to manage Amphan relief. Rampant loot plagued the relief works. Even now, West Bengal is suffering and the state government is in absent mode," Adhikari said.
PM Modi has reviewed floods, cyclone situations with different CMs who belonged to non-NDA parties, noted the BJP leader. "None of these CMs behaved the way Mamata Didi behaved today. There is a time for politics and a time for governance. Didi can’t comprehend that," he added.
