“West Bengal CM was insulted, doesn’t suit democracy”: Sanjay Raut

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 28 (ANI): Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was “insulted” after she alleged that she was stopped from speaking after five minutes at the NITI Aayog meeting.

“The way the budget is made, NITI Aayog works accordingly. Only BJP-ruled states are being given money and schemes. That’s why Stalin (Tamil Nadu CM), Telangana and Himachal Pradesh CMs boycotted the meeting,” Sanjay Raut said while addressing reporters in Mumbai on Sunday.

“Mamata Banerjee attended the meeting but she was not allowed to speak. The West Bengal CM was insulted, her microphone was switched off, this doesn’t suit democracy,” he added.

Earlier, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin criticised the BJP-led Central government on the matter and emphasised that cooperative federalism requires dialogue and respect for all voices.

“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 said in a post on X.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that Mamata Banerjee’s claim was “baseless,” and that she is making efforts to keep the leaders of the INDIA bloc happy.

“We all heard CM, @MamataOfficial. She spoke her full time. The screen in front of our tables kept showing the time. A few other CMs spoke beyond their allotted time. On their own request, extra time was allowed without any fuss. Mikes were not switched off, not for anybody, particularly not for CM of WB. Mamata ji has chosen to spread falsehood. I was happy she attended,” she said.

“I was happier when she said she was speaking for Bengal and, in fact for the entire opposition. I may agree or disagree with what she had to say. But now, with her saying baseless things outside, I can only conclude that she is making an effort to keep the INDI alliance happy,” the Finance Minister added.

After leaving the Niti Aayog meeting on Saturday chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi midway, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the Centre of “insulting Bengal” by interrupting her speech after five minutes, claiming it was a deliberate attempt to “malign the opposition.”

“I said whatever I could in the 3 to 4 minutes that I got. In the entire country, the way in which all the opposition-ruled states have been neglected and BJP-ruled states and their alliance members have been favored, we don’t have any objection if any state is given more money but this is not acceptable that someone will get and someone will not get at all,” Banerjee said accusing the Centre of favouring BJP-ruled states with privileges and packages.