NITI Aayog meeting: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today (July 26) said that she will be protesting against the political discrimination meted out to Bengal at the NITI Aayog meeting in Delhi on Saturday (July 27). Before leaving for Delhi today, the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) Chairman said, "I will protest against the political discrimination being done with Bengal in the Niti Aayog meeting. In the budget, the way they have discriminated against Bengal and the other opposition states, we can't agree to that."
Addressing media at the Kolkata airport before leaving for Delhi, Banerjee said she would join the meeting and register her protest against a discriminatory budget and the conspiracy to divide Bengal and other opposition-ruled states.
"The attitude of their ministers and BJP leaders is such that they want to divide Bengal. Along with the economic blockade, they also want to impose a geographical blockade. The Minister said this while Parliament was in process. Different leaders are giving different statements to divide Jharkhand, Bihar, Assam, and Bengal. We strongly condemn this attitude," she said.
Divide Bengal is equal to dividing India: CM Mamata
She further said that dividing Bengal means dividing the nation and further mentioned that she will record her voice at the meeting and if they won't let her, she will protest and leave the meeting.
"Divide Bengal means to divide our country, India. We want to record our voice in this situation, and I will be present there to do so. I will try to record my voice if they let me or else I will protest and come out," she said.
This move by the West Bengal CM came as a surprise after most Chief Ministers of opposition-led states had said that they would boycott the NITI Aayog meeting, which will be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Saturday.
I'll protest against discrimination, political bias: Mamata Banerjee
"I was asked to send my written speech seven days ahead of the meeting which I have done. That was before the Union Budget was tabled. If I get an opportunity to deliver my speech at the meeting and record my protest against the discrimination and political bias against the opposition-ruled states besides the conspiracy that is being hatched to divide Bengal and its neighbouring states, I will do so. Else, I will walk out of the meeting," the chief minister said.
Boycott of NITI Aayog meeting
Mamata Banerjee cleared the air over the speculated uncertainty on whether she, too, would skip the meet like most other CMs of the I.N.D.I.A bloc. On Wednesday, Chief Minister of Punjab Bhagwant Mann and Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy said that their government will boycott the NITI Aayog meeting in protest against the central government's alleged injustice to the state in the allocation of funds in the Union Budget 2024.
(With inputs from Onkar)
ALSO READ: Bangladesh sends 'diplomatic note' to India criticising Mamata's 'shelter' remarks: MEA
ALSO READ: Kolkata: Temporary gate collapses at Mamata Banerjee's event, two injured | VIDEO
