“Not Time To Play Politics”: Mamata Banerjee At PM-Chief Ministers’ Meet

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s fifth meeting with state Chief Ministers on coronavirus instantly took an stunning flip as Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the Centre of having fun with politics over the issue and discriminating between states.

The Centre was working consistent with a “script”, Ms Banerjee said. “This is not the time to play politics. Nobody ever asks our opinion…  Don’t bulldoze the federal structure,” sources quoted her as saying on the meeting, known as to debate a phased exit from the lockdown, the migrants’ drawback and the monetary state of affairs.

“When we are cooperating with you, why are you attacking us? Why is it always Bengal, Bengal, Bengal ? Why criticise?” she said.

There has been a face-off between Bengal and the Centre over the coronavirus state of affairs throughout the state, when in March, a workforce of Central officers visited the state following research of lockdown violation and misreporting of coronavirus cases.

Mamata Banerjee had shot off a furious letter to PM Modi, alleging that she had not been formally educated about their go to.

She questioned why her state was chosen for the central teams’ analysis, defending the anti-coronavirus measures taken by her administration. Her leaders accused the Centre of “fighting some states” as soon as that they had been busy stopping the virus.

The workforce, which was anticipated to go to the hotspot districts, repeatedly alleged that they acquired no logistical assist from the state — an allegation the state denied. I their final analysis, the workforce said the state was lacking in sufficient testing, monitoring and surveillance methods.

Last week, Union effectively being minister Dr Harsh Vardhan acknowledged Bengal among the many many three states seen as potential hotspots of the sickness and the Centre included it among the many many 10 states, the place teams of effectively being consultants will in all probability be despatched to help state governments comprise the speedy unfold of the an an infection.