# Banarjee claims her microphone was turned off
New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced her boycott of the NITI Aayog meeting on Saturday, alleging she was unfairly treated compared to her counterparts from BJP-ruled states.
Banerjee claimed her speaking time was unjustly limited to five minutes, while leaders from other states were allocated significantly more time.
In a heated exchange with the press, Banerjee expressed her frustration: “I have chosen to boycott the meeting. Chandrababu Naidu was given 20 minutes, while CMs from Assam, Goa, and Chhattisgarh spoke for 10-12 minutes. I was given only five minutes. This is an affront to my state and to me personally.”
Banerjee, who was the sole representative from the INDIA bloc at the meeting, further criticized the organizers, alleging that her microphone was turned off while she was addressing concerns about her state’s issues.
The NITI Aayog meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was convened to discuss the ‘Vikshit Bharat@2047’ document, a strategic plan aimed at transforming India into a developed nation by 2047. The governing council of NITI Aayog includes all Chief Ministers, Lt. Governors of Union territories, and several Union ministers.
Meanwhile, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was absent from the meeting. The reasons behind Kumar’s absence were not immediately disclosed. Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha attended the meeting on behalf of Bihar.
JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar noted that Kumar’s absence from NITI Aayog meetings is not unprecedented, recalling previous instances where a Deputy Chief Minister represented the state. He also highlighted that Bihar’s four Union ministers, who are members of NITI Aayog, were present at the meeting.
