West Bengal CM's 'insult' at NITI Aayog doesn't suit democratic norms, claims Sanjay Raut

Sanjay Raut. File Pic

Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday said the "insult" of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the NITI Aayog meeting held in New Delhi a day earlier was not good for democracy, reported news agency PTI.

States have several issues which need to be addressed and muting the microphone of a chief minister doesn't suit democratic norms, Sanjay Raut told reporters.

Banerjee on Saturday walked out of a NITI Aayog meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming she was unfairly stopped midway through her speech, a charge denied by the government asserting that her speaking time was over.

Banerjee, the only opposition leader to attend the meeting, alleged her microphone was switched off after five minutes of her speech while other chief ministers, including from Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Assam and Chhattisgarh, were allowed to speak for a longer duration.

"The money which is distributed by the Centre belongs to the people of India. It is collected as various taxes. What did Maharashtra get.. Our chief minister came back empty handed," Raut said in a swipe at the ruling alliance under Eknath Shinde, reported PTI.

Asked about NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar's externment comment about Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Raut claimed cases were dropped after the Narendra Modi-led NDA came to power.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday claimed that she was humiliated as she was not allowed to speak at the NITI Aayog meeting in New Delhi.

Banerjee said she has no problems if other states are allocated more funds but would protest discrimination against West Bengal.

"I was not allowed to speak. They were repeatedly ringing the bell. This is humiliation," she said while speaking to reporters at Kolkata airport after arriving from New Delhi.

On Saturday, Banerjee who is also the Trinamool Congress supremo, walked out of the NITI Aayog meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

On the issues she raised during her brief speech, Banerjee said she referred to the proposal of constituting an Indo-Bhutan River Commission since water from Bhutan often floods regions in the northern part of West Bengal every year.

She said her comments on the issue of Teesta water sharing with Bangladesh had been misinterpreted by certain quarters.

"If we lose water from the Teesta river, people of north Bengal will reel under drinking water crisis," Banerjee said.

She alleged that she was given very little time at the NITI Aayog meet in contrast to that given to other chief ministers such as Chandrababu Naidu of Andhra Pradesh.

(With inputs from PTI)