PM Modi by no means gave permission to Mamata Banerjee to go away the evaluation assembly as she claims, say sources.
Highlights
- Authorities sources tore into Mamata Banerjee’s account of the incident
- PM by no means gave permission to her to go away the evaluation assembly, sources stated
- Ms Banerjee has repeatedly alleged that she waited to fulfill the PM
New Delhi:
Mamata Banerjee has given “fully false statements” and she or he “boycotted” a gathering with Prime Minister Narendra Modi after agreeing to attend it, the centre stated at this time in its second rebuttal in its more and more bitter back-and-forth with the Bengal Chief Minister.
In a nine-point rejoinder, authorities sources tore into Mamata Banerjee’s account of what went down on Friday, when she briefly met with PM Modi at Kalaikunda air base throughout his go to to Bengal and left with out attending his Cyclone Yaas evaluation assembly.
The Chief Minister has stated she had one other scheduled assembly and that she had requested the PM’s permission earlier than leaving.
PM Modi by no means gave permission to Mamata Banerjee to go away the evaluation assembly as she claims, authorities sources stated at this time.
To her declare about being knowledgeable belatedly in regards to the Prime Minister’s schedule, the sources commented {that a} assembly to evaluate cyclone injury may hardly be finalised “earlier than the cyclone comes”.
Ms Banerjee’s allegation that she was pressured to attend for the PM was additionally rejected by authorities sources. On Ms Banerjee saying she needed to look ahead to 20 minutes and her chopper needed to hover as a result of the PM’s chopper was to land, the sources stated she ought to have come upfront, “as everybody does when PM is meant to land at any airport”.
“PM landed at Kalaikunda at 1.59 pm. Mamata Banerjee landed at Kalaikunda after the PM at 2.10 pm. It’s clear that PM was saved ready for Mamata Banerjee as he landed a lot earlier than her. This was additionally confirmed by a TMC MP who tweeted that there was no large deal within the PM being saved ready,” stated authorities sources.
After her chopper landed on the air base, the Chief Minister reached the constructing the place the assembly was to happen, round 500 metres away. “After assembly the PM, she departed for her subsequent journey at 2.35 pm. So in impact, she travelled 500 metres back and forth, met PM and departed in 25 minutes. She left earlier than the PM left, which is clearly opposite to accepted practices and protocol. It’s clear that Mamata Banerjee’s assertion of being made to attend is fully false and that she made the PM wait,” authorities sources stated.
The sources additionally stated Mamata Banerjee had agreed to attend the PM’s evaluation however had modified her thoughts after studying that her former aide-turned-BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari, who’s the state’s Chief of Opposition, could be within the assembly. Suvendu Adhikari’s defection to the BJP, simply months earlier than the Bengal polls, was seen as an enormous loss for Ms Banerjee. Her landslide victory in polls was additionally dimmed by her defeat to Mr Adhikari in Nandigram, which suggests she has to win bypolls to maintain the highest job.
“Mamata Banerjee selected to boycott the evaluation assembly as a result of the Chief of Opposition of WB was current. No challenge was created by authorities on this, as a result of what mattered was Cyclone reduction actions. It was instructed to her that PM will meet her instantly after the evaluation assembly as that was the explanation for which he traveled to West Bengal. Sensing that she could have to attend until the evaluation assembly will get over, she selected to forestall different officers too from attending the assembly and in impact cancelled the evaluation assembly scheduled by the Prime Minister,” the sources alleged.
The Centre additionally defended its strikes in opposition to Alapan Bandyopadhyay, then Chief Secretary of Bengal, who was ordered to report back to Delhi after the assembly controversy. Ms Banerjee known as the recall order unconstitutional and alleged that the Centre was behaving like “Hitler and Stalin”.
“The order is completely constitutional since Chief Secretary is an All India Companies officer. He selected to disregard his constitutional duties, on account of which no presentation was given to PM and no officer of the West Bengal authorities attended the PM’s evaluation assembly,” sources stated.
Mr Bandyopadhyay, as a substitute of going to Delhi, retired yesterday and was instantly appointed Chief Adviser to the Chief Minister.
Authorities sources stated his retirement confirmed that Mamata Banerjee was on the backfoot. “She is aware of that details of the matter are in opposition to the Chief Secretary and his behaviour was such that it’s going to invite strict disciplinary motion… All India officers should not anticipated to be a part of politics. Mamata is aware of all this and his retirement is a final bid to save lots of him,” they stated.
Ms Banerjee’s objection to Mr Adhikari’s presence was additionally dismissed by the Centre, which stated, “There have been quite a few conferences up to now in non-BJP dominated states the place representatives of different events have been current”.