BJP’s Shehzad Poonawalla Criticizes Opposition for Boycotting NITI Aayog Meeting
New Delhi, India, July 27: BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla sharply criticized the opposition parties for boycotting the NITI Aayog meeting on Saturday. He argued that the INDIA bloc consistently opposes anything beneficial for the country, suggesting their issue wasn’t with the budget itself but with those who prepared it.
In a self-made video, Poonawalla said, “The INDIA Alliance is boycotting the NITI Aayog meeting today because they want to oppose the idea of a ‘Viksit Bharat’. The alliance consistently opposes anything that falls in the best interests of the country.”
He noted that after boycotting Constitution Day and the Independence Day event, the alliance is now boycotting the NITI Aayog meeting. However, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee attended the meeting, indicating a break in the alliance.
Poonawalla mentioned that RJD claims Bihar received ‘jhunjhuna’ while other parties in the INDIA bloc say the state received everything, creating confusion. He added, “Mamata Banerjee is clearly sending a message to the alliance parties, especially the Congress, suggesting that there will be no dictatorship by the grand old party.”
Poonawalla further stated that the opposition parties are competing to demonstrate who can most effectively oppose Prime Minister Modi, who prepared the budget. He highlighted the significant funds allocated to states like Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal by the current NDA administration.
Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee alleged political discrimination at the NITI Aayog meeting, stating that her microphone was muted and she was not allowed to speak for more than five minutes while other chief ministers were given more time. She expressed her frustration and walked out of the meeting.
Before leaving for Delhi, Banerjee said she would protest against the political discrimination being done with Bengal in the NITI Aayog meeting. She accused BJP ministers and leaders of wanting to divide Bengal and impose economic and geographical blockades on the state.
Chief ministers of opposition-led states boycotted the NITI Aayog meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Chief Ministers of Punjab and Telangana announced their boycott in protest against the central government’s alleged injustice to the states in the allocation of funds in the 2024 Union Budget.
Doubts Revealed
BJP -: BJP stands for Bharatiya Janata Party. It is one of the major political parties in India.
Shehzad Poonawalla -: Shehzad Poonawalla is a spokesperson for the BJP. A spokesperson is someone who speaks on behalf of a group or organization.
Opposition -: The opposition refers to political parties that are not in power and often challenge the ruling party’s decisions.
NITI Aayog -: NITI Aayog is a policy think tank of the Government of India, which means it helps the government make important decisions and plans for the country.
INDIA bloc -: The INDIA bloc is a group of opposition parties in India that have come together to challenge the ruling party.
Boycotting -: Boycotting means refusing to participate in something as a form of protest.
West Bengal CM -: CM stands for Chief Minister. The Chief Minister of West Bengal is Mamata Banerjee, who is the head of the state government.
Political discrimination -: Political discrimination means treating someone unfairly because of their political beliefs or affiliations.
Union Budget -: The Union Budget is the annual financial statement presented by the Government of India, detailing its expected revenue and expenditure for the coming year.