Upset Mamata Walks Out of Niti Aayog Meet

New Delhi: The NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting on Saturday witnessed controversy as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the only Opposition leader in attendance, walking out of the meeting, alleging she was “stopped” from speaking.

Banerjee’s walkout became a point of contention. She claimed her microphone was switched off after five minutes, while others were allowed to speak longer. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the PIB Fact Check unit refuted her claim, stating she spoke for her full allotted time.

The Opposition criticised the treatment of Banerjee. DMK Chief Minister M.K. Stalin questioning the federalism in practice asking, “Is this #CooperativeFederalism? Is this the way to treat a Chief Minister? The Union BJP government must understand that opposition parties are an integral part of our democracy and should not be treated as enemies to be silenced. Cooperative Federalism requires dialogue and respect for all voices.”