Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has likened West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s decision to snub Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a meeting called to review cyclone Yaas to ‘painful behaviour.’ In a series of tweets, Singh said that today’s development involving Banerjee and Modi was stunning.
He wrote, “This kind of behaviour with the prime minister, who arrived in the state with a sense of helping people of Bengal in the time of disaster, is painful. This is an unfortunate example of keeping political differences above public service and constitutional duties, which harms the basic spirit of India”s federal system.”
He added, “Today’s development from West Bengal is stunning. Chief Minister and Prime Minister are not individuals but they are an institution. Both of them discharge their duties after taking the oath of office vowing to respect the constitution and carry out public service.”
पश्चिम बंगाल का आज का घटनाक्रम स्तब्ध करने वाला है। मुख्यमंत्री व प्रधानमंत्री व्यक्ति नहीं संस्था है। दोनों जन सेवा का संकल्प और संविधान के प्रति निष्ठा की शपथ लेकर दायित्व ग्रहण करते हैं।
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) May 28, 2021
Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted, “Mamata Didi’s conduct today is an unfortunate low. Cyclone Yaas has affected several common citizens and the need of the hour is to assist those affected. Sadly, Didi has put arrogance above public welfare and today’s petty behaviour reflects that.”
Mamata Didi’s conduct today is an unfortunate low. Cyclone Yaas has affected several common citizens and the need of the hour is to assist those affected. Sadly, Didi has put arrogance above public welfare and today’s petty behaviour reflects that.
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) May 28, 2021
Modi visited Odisha and West Bengal and held review meetings in both states in the aftermath of cyclone Yaas. While Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik was present in his meeting with Modi, Banerjee had reportedly decided to skip the review meeting in her state. According to some reports, the Bengal CM had kept Modi waiting for nearly 30 minutes before turning up for the meeting. And even after she arrived for the meet, reports claimed, Banerjee handed over some papers to Modi and said that she had other important meetings to attend before storming out of the room.
She was later quoted by NDTV as saying, “I told him (Modi) – ‘You came far to meet me. You wanted to meet me, so I came. My Chief Secretary and I, we are submitting this report to you. I now have to go to Digha as per my schedule. So I am taking your leave’.”
The photo of Modi being forced to hold the meeting with just a few government officials had gone viral.