West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee to Protest Political Discrimination at NITI Aayog Meeting

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced on Friday that she will protest against the political discrimination faced by Bengal at the NITI Aayog meeting in Delhi on Saturday, July 27.

Before departing for Delhi, Banerjee, who is also the All India Trinamool Congress Chairman, stated, “I will protest against the political discrimination being inflicted upon Bengal at the NITI Aayog meeting. The budget has shown clear discrimination against Bengal and other opposition states, and we cannot accept this.”

She further criticized the BJP ministers and leaders, accusing them of attempting to divide Bengal while imposing economic and geographical blockades on the state. “The attitude of their ministers and BJP leaders aims to divide Bengal. Along with imposing an economic blockade, they also seek to enforce a geographical blockade. This was evident while Parliament was in session. Various leaders are making statements aimed at dividing Jharkhand, Bihar, Assam, and Bengal. We strongly condemn this behavior,” she added.

Banerjee emphasized that dividing Bengal is akin to dividing the nation and said she will make her voice heard at the meeting. “Dividing Bengal means dividing our country, India. We want to voice our concerns about this issue, and I will be present to do so. If they allow me to speak, I will; otherwise, I will protest and leave the meeting,” she said.

This announcement from the West Bengal Chief Minister comes as a surprise, following the decision by several opposition-led state Chief Ministers to boycott the NITI Aayog meeting. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had previously stated their intention to boycott the meeting in protest against the central government’s alleged injustice in the allocation of funds in the 2024 Union Budget.

(with ANI Inputs)

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