New Delhi | Refuting allegations made by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that Mamata spoke her full time and her mic was not switched off in between at the NITI Aayog's governing council meeting on Saturday.
The controversy erupted when Mamata walked out of the meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and claimed that she was unfairly stopped midway in her speech despite being the sole representative of the opposition.
Soon after her claims, the Centre issued a rebuttal saying that her statement was "misleading".
Sitharaman, who was present in the meeting, in a post on X said, "She (Mamata) 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, WB. Mamata ji has chosen to spread falsehood. I was happy she attended.
"Was happier when she said she is 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 I.N.D.I alliance happy."
Sitharaman said in response to a post by Congress leader Jairam Ramesh who backed Mamata's assertions and said the NITI Aayog "muzzles all divergent and dissenting viewpoints".
Earlier in the day, Mamata, said "I have come out and boycotted the meeting. (Andhra Pradesh CM) Chandababu Naidu spoke for 20 minutes. The chief ministers of Assam, Goa, and Chhattisgarh spoke for 10 to 12 minutes. But I was stopped 5 minutes into my speech. I said this is unfair. I am the only one from the opposition attending the meeting. I did it for the greater interest as I believe cooperative federalism should be strengthened."
In support of Mamata, Jairam Ramesh in a social media post said, since it was established ten years ago, NITI Aayog has been an attached office of the PMO and has functioned as a drumbeater for the "non-biological" Prime Minister.
"It has not advanced the cause of cooperative federalism in any manner. Its functioning has been blatantly partisan, and it is anything but professional and independent.
"It muzzles all divergent and dissenting viewpoints, which are the very essence of an open democracy. Its meetings are a farce to be reckoned with.
Its treatment of the West Bengal CM today, although typical of the NITI Aayog, is unacceptable," Ramesh said in a post on X.
Chief Ministers of the Congress-ruled states and other INDI alliance partners boycotted the 9th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Mumbai | Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said the chief ministers of opposition-governed states have done injustice to their people by skipping the NITI Aayog meeting on Saturday.
Addressing a press conference here, Goyal said these CMs lost an opportunity to ask questions.
“NITI Aayog belongs to all. The opposition needs to look within. They have done injustice to the people of the states ruled by them,” said Goyal, who was recently elected to the Lok Sabha from Mumbai North constituency.
Chief Ministers from the INDIA bloc – M K Stalin (DMK) of Tamil Nadu, Kerala’s Pinarayi Vijayan (CPI-M), Punjab’s Bhagwant Mann (AAP), Congress’ Siddaramaiah (Karnataka), Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu (Himachal Pradesh), Revanth Reddy (Telangana), and Jharkhand’s Hemant Soren (JMM) – skipped the NITI Aayog meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
West Bengal CM and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, also an INDIA ally, walked out of the meeting claiming she was humiliated as she was not allowed to speak.
Opposition parties have alleged the states ruled by them were ignored in the Union Budget presented recently in the Lok Sabha.
Goyal said the Union Budget presented earlier this week needs to be looked through the context of continuity with the interim budget.
Asked about NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar’s comment on Amit Shah’s externment from Gujarat, Goyal said Pawar was an important part of the “UPA government’s conspiracy against Shah and the then Gujarat CM Narendra Modi".
“The UPA had levelled a false case against Amit Shah,” he said.
Responding to Shah’s “ringleader of corrupt people” jibe for Pawar, the NCP (SP) chief had said on Friday, “The one who was externed by the Supreme Court is holding charge of the Union Home Ministry now.”
Shah was discharged in the Sohrabuddin Shaikh fake encounter case.
"Sharad Pawar must apologise to the people of the country for this false allegation," Goyal said.
The Supreme Court's order exposed the UPA, Congress and NCP, he said.
The case against Amit Shah was completely baseless and false (and was foisted) because his popularity was high and they (Opposition) were going to lose the next election.
"They were trying to save themselves from defeat by attacking the then chief minister of Gujarat Modiji and Amit Shah ji," Goyal said.
He was implicated in a false case and the court finally acquitted him of all charges, the Union minister added.