Mamata Banerjee politicised meeting with PM Modi, believes in confrontational federalism: Suvendu Adhikari

The Bengal Chief Minister had "once again shown her total disinterest in administration" and politicized the PM's meeting with District Magistrates, said Banerjee's former aide Suvendu Adhikari.

"Today, our respected CM@MamataOfficial has once again shown her total disinterest in administration. True to her style, she has politicised a meeting Hon'ble PM @narendramodi held with District Officials, where grassroots level practices to fight COVID-19 were being discussed," Adhikari said in a series of tweets.

The leader of opposition in Bengal accused Banerjee of believing in "confrontational federalism".

"5 out of the 7 District Officials who spoke today belonged to non-BJP ruled states of Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and AP. Cooperative federalism is the firm commitment of PM @narendramodi unlike CM @MamataOfficial who only believes in confrontational federalism," he tweeted.

He said even as Covid situation in Bengal is miserable, Banerjee is still playing politics.

"West Bengal’s COVID numbers are miserable, but the Chief Minister wants to play politics. The @AITCofficial  is still busy in gory victory dances and targeting opponents. It is better they get down to work because the great People of West Bengal are watching!"

Mamata Banerjee earlier in the day lashed out at PM Modi for not allowing neither herself nor any of her counterparts from other states to speak in the Covid-19 meeting.

Banerjee, however, said DMs of some states were allowed to speak in the meeting which was called by Modi, who is receiving heavy criticism over his handling of the second wave of pandemic.

Immediately after the conclusion of the meeting, which was attended by Chief Ministers and DMs of 10 states, Banerjee said, "The meeting was casual and a super flop. We were astonished that all the Chief Ministers were made to sit like puppets in the meeting. If we are not allowed to speak, then how could we raise people’s issues?"

"The meeting was the 'One Nation, All Humiliation' meeting. It is an insult to the state and an attack on the federal structure of the country," she said and questioned, "Are we bonded laborers?"

Banerjee said she would have discussed not just Covid, but also Black Fungus and vaccination strategy in the meeting if she was allowed to speak.

The Chief Minister said she would have asked the Prime Minister about the extension of the interval between the two doses of vaccines.