We Aren’t Puppets: Mamata Banerjee Says After Meeting With PM Modi, Says She Felt 'Insulted'

Mamata Banerjee insulted at COVID-19 meeting? West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee described the meeting chaired by PM Narendra Modi — with chief ministers and district magistrates —  on Thursday as “one-way humiliation”. She asked why is the Prime Minister so "insecure" that he is not even allowing Chief Ministers to speak. "What is this fear about?" she said after virtually attending the meeting on India's COVID-19 crisis.

Banerjee further revealed that the chief ministers were made to sit “like puppets”, without being given a chance to speak, TOI reported. "One nation, all humiliation,” Banerjee said adding that the CMs are not bonded labourers. The Prime Minister, she said, forgot to offer any financial support or even asked about the availability of beds, vaccine or oxygen in any states. She claimed that he ignored the facts about the black fungus infection in COVID-19 patients and termed the virtual meeting “casual and a super flop” and alleged the government tried to “play down” the coronavirus threat.

She claimed all the CMs are feeling "insulted and humiliated" and reportedly nobody was allowed to speak. She even accused the Prime Minister of being "arrogant" and "casual", asking as to how do the states put forth the issues and public demands that need the government's attention.

When asked about the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Banerjee said there is a need to form a team against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre. "It will be a fight between democracy against dictatorship,” she said. Responding to her claims, BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad hit back at Mamata Banerjee, saying that PM Modi had called a DM meeting to share and discuss the good work being done against the virus, TOI reported.

Banerjee came to power in Bengal for a third straight term recently after an all-out battle between her and the Prime Minister. Read all you need to know about Mamata Banerjee’s swearing-in ceremony here.

Here's a video of the meeting:

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Feature Image Credit: The Hans India