“This is discrimination”: JMM’s Bhattacharya on Mamata Banerjee’s claim

Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], July 27 (ANI): In response to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s allegations that her microphone was turned off during the NITI Aayog meeting, Supriyo Bhattacharya, General Secretary of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), called the episode as discriminatory, asserting that all states have equal respect.

While speaking with ANI, Bhattacharya said, “This is discrimination. All states have equal respect… When Mamata Banerjee was asking a valid question, her mike was switched off.”

Bhattacharya further said that everyone and every state has self-respect. “If you invite someone and insult them like that, who will stay, everyone has self-respect, every state has self respect,” he said.

Notably, while speaking with the reporters, the West Bengal Chief Minister alleged “political discrimination” and said that at the NITI Aayog meeting which was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she was not allowed to speak for more than five minutes while other chief ministers were given more time.

Earlier, the central government’s fact-checking body refuted as “misleading” the claim made by the West Bengal CM about her microphone being switched off.

A PIB fact check today debunked her 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.

According to the government fact check body PIB, Mamata Banerjee’s turn to speak would be only after lunch if one goes alphabetically, but she was “accomodated” as the seventh speaker on an official request from the Chief Minister.

“Alphabetically, CM, West Bengal turn would have come after lunch. She was accommodated as the 7th speaker on an official request of the West Bengal government as she had to return early,” PIB Fact Check explained in a subsequent tweet.

While speaking to reporters, the West Bengal Chief Minister alleged “political discrimination” and said that at the NITI Aayog meeting she was not allowed to speak for more than five minutes while other chief ministers were given more time.

“…I said you (central government) should not discriminate against state governments. I wanted to speak but my mic was muted. I was allowed to speak only for five minutes. People before me spoke for 10-20 minutes,” Banerjee told reporters after she stormed out of the NITI Aayog meeting today.

“I was the only one from the opposition who was participating but still, I was not allowed to speak. This is insulting…,” Banerjee said as she walked out mid way from the meeting.”I have come out boycotting the NITI Aayog meeting. Chandrababu Naidu was given 20 minutes to speak, Chief Ministers of Assam, Goa, Chhattisgarh spoke for 10-12 minutes. I was stopped after just 5 minutes. This is unfair,” the Chief Minister said speaking to reporters after coming out of the meeting.

Claiming that she had chosen to participate in the meeting to strengthen “cooperative federalism” Banerjee said, “There are many regional aspirations. That is why I am here, to share those aspirations. If a state is strong, the Union will be strong.”

The Chief Minister said that several states, including West Bengal, were deprived in the Union Budget that was presented in Parliament this week.