After turning down the invite to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi a few days back, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday dashed off a letter to the Prime Minister, stating her inability to attend the scheduled Niti Ayog meeting on June 15.
Ms Banerjee in her letter said,”Given the fact that the Niti Ayog has no financial powers and the power to support State Plans, it is fruitless for me to attend the meeting of a body that is bereft of any financial powers.”
Earlier too, Ms Banerjee went back on her decision to attend the swearing-in ceremony and skipped it, charging the BJP with levelling ”false” allegation that 54 of their party workers were murdered in political violence in Bengal.’
“Congratulations, new Prime Minister, Narendra Modiji. It was my plan to accept the “constitutional invitation” and attend the oath taking ceremony. However, in last one year, I am seeing media reports that the BJP are claiming 54 people have been murdered in political violence in Bengal. This is completely untrue. There have been no political murders in Bengal. These deaths may have occurred due to personal enemity, family quarrels and other disputes, nothing related to politics. There is no such record with us,” Ms Banerjee said in a tweet.
“So I am sorry, Narendra Modi ji, this has compelled me not to attend the ceremony. The ceremony is an august occasion to celebrate democracy, not one that should be devalued by any political party which uses it as an opportunity to score political points. Please excuse me,” she posted on her Twitter. (UNI )
Mamata to skip June 15 Niti Ayog meeting
