West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged on Friday the closure of NITI Aayog, the national government think tank established in 2015 by Narendra Modi’s National Democratic Alliance (NDA) administration. She urged that the Planning Commission, which is responsible for developing Five-Year Plans, be reinstated.
“Stop this niti Aayog. It does not do anything other than convene meetings. Bring back the Planning Commission,” Banerjee spoke in the capital a day before she is scheduled to attend the NITI Aayog conference convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
When asked why she is attending the NITI Aayog conference while some of her coalition partners have opted to boycott, Banerjee replied, “There is no reason to come, and I had cancelled my programme due to their budget. But Abhishek and others persuaded me, and I spoke with Hemant, who was also coming.”
The issue is cooperation. Although each state has its own set of goals, I support federalism. The BJP aims to divide the country. “Their leaders are talking about dividing,” she stated, alluding to Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar’s remarks on north Bengal.
Majumdar requested to PM Modi on Wednesday that northern West Bengal, due to its similarities to the Northeast area, be placed in the Ministry of Development of the North Eastern area (DoNER) to permit additional development money for various regional projects.
“If the BJP doesn’t listen to the verdict of the people, then it is their choice. All opposition-ruled states are deprived. You can give the special package to your friends but can’t deprive others,” she added.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK Leader M K Stalin, Kerala’s Chief Minister and CPI(M) Leader Pinnarayi Vijayan, and the Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab and Delhi administrations have all indicated that they will boycott the conference.