Mamata Banerjee Claims Mic Was Turned Off at NITI Aayog Meeting
Supriyo Bhattacharya Calls It Discrimination
In Ranchi, Jharkhand, Supriyo Bhattacharya, the General Secretary of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), responded to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s allegations that her microphone was turned off during a NITI Aayog meeting. Bhattacharya described the incident as discriminatory, emphasizing that all states deserve equal respect.
Bhattacharya stated, “This is discrimination. All states have equal respect… When Mamata Banerjee was asking a valid question, her mike was switched off.” He further added, “If you invite someone and insult them like that, who will stay, everyone has self-respect, every state has self-respect.”
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged political discrimination, claiming she was not allowed to speak for more than five minutes while other chief ministers were given more time. She said, “I was allowed to speak only for five minutes. People before me spoke for 10-20 minutes.”
However, the central government’s fact-checking body, the Press Information Bureau (PIB), refuted her claims, stating that her speaking time was over according to the clock. The PIB explained that Banerjee was accommodated as the seventh speaker on an official request, even though her turn was supposed to be after lunch.
Banerjee expressed her frustration, saying, “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.”
She also mentioned that she participated in the meeting to strengthen cooperative federalism and share regional aspirations, but felt insulted and deprived, especially in the context of the Union Budget.
Doubts Revealed
Mamata Banerjee -: Mamata Banerjee is the Chief Minister of West Bengal, a state in India. She is a political leader and the head of the Trinamool Congress party.
NITI Aayog -: NITI Aayog is a policy think tank of the Government of India. It helps in making important decisions for the country’s development.
Supriyo Bhattacharya -: Supriyo Bhattacharya is a member of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, a political party in India. He supported Mamata Banerjee’s claim about the microphone being turned off.
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha -: Jharkhand Mukti Morcha is a political party in India. It mainly works in the state of Jharkhand and focuses on the rights of tribal people.
PIB -: PIB stands for Press Information Bureau. It is a government agency in India that provides information to the public and the media.
Union Budget -: The Union Budget is the annual financial statement of India. It shows the government’s planned income and spending for the year.