Mamata Banerjee didn't allow DM to speak in Modi's Covid meeting: Ravi Shankar Prasad

Banerjee on Thursday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not allowing neither herself nor any of her counterparts from other states to speak in the Covid-19 meeting.

Countering the Chief Minister, Prasad said, "Mamata Banerjee did not allow her DM from 24 Parganas to speak in the meeting. This ungraceful behaviour is unfortunate."

"What harm would have been caused if the Prime Minister got to know about the good work done by a DM? The Prime Minister is trying to know the good deeds against Covid-19 in any district of the country irrespective of political parties in power," he added.

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.

"I also wanted to ask the Prime Minister about the interval between the two doses of vaccines. Is there any study or research behind the interval? We all are in a dilemma. We don't know what was happening," she said and added, "We would vaccinate all people within three months if we get enough vaccines."