Centre not allowing state governments to work: Mamata Banerjee
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee accuses Union government of not allowing state governments to work
New Delhi: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday accused the Union government of not allowing the state governments to work.
“Centre is not allowing state governments to work. We are not its servants," said West Bengal chief minister.
Announcing the ‘Oust BJP from India’ programme from 9 August, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief said, “18 opposition parties have formed alliance (against BJP). This platform will expand in future."
Meanwhile, parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar blamed Mamata Banerjee for the unrest in Darjeeling, saying her attitude and handling of the issue had “set the quiet hills on fire".
The Union minister told the Lok Sabha that tri-partite talks involving the Centre, the state and the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) can be held only after peace has been restored in the region.
He made the statement after Mohammed Salim (CPM) raised the issue in the Zero Hour, accusing Banerjee of trying to impose her will on language and other governance affairs on the people in the hilly region.
“You cannot declare a war on the people," he said, adding that the state’s food minister had threatened to stop supply of essential provisions to Darjeeling if the protests continued.
The central government cannot remain quiet, he said, asking it to call a tri-partite meeting. “You must tell the chief minister to work as per the Constitution," he told the Centre.
Members of the Trinamool Congress, which is in power in the state, were not in the House. Kumar said the situation in Darjeeling was getting more serious. “There must be peace. If the quiet hills have been set on fire, then the reason is the chief minister’s attitude and her handling of the issue," he said.
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