MAMATA MEETS PM MODI, CALLS FOR ALL-PARTY MEET ON PEGASUS

On her first visit to Delhi after the Trinamool Congress’ resounding victory in the West Bengal Assembly elections, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence in Lok Kalyan Marg.

Following the meeting, she told reporters that the Prime Minister should convene an all-party meet to discuss the Pegasus issue and decide on a Supreme Court-led probe.

“Prime Minister should call an all-party meeting on the Pegasus issue. There should be a Supreme Court-monitored probe in this matter. There should not be any discrimination,” Banerjee said soon after meeting the PM. Following the Pegasus spyware controversy, Banerjee had earlier announced that West Bengal has formed a commission to investigate the matter. The Opposition has alleged that names of several Indian politicians, journalists, lawyers, and activists have appeared on the leaked list of potential targets for surveillance by an unidentified agency using Pegasus spyware.

This was the first official meeting between CM Mamata Banerjee and PM Narendra Modi since the two led their respective parties to battle in the recent West Bengal Assembly elections. The two had met briefly at the Kalaikunda Air Base in Bengal’s West Midnapore for a review meeting over Cyclone Yaas in the last week of May.

When asked about her meeting today, Banerjee told reporters that she spoke to PM Modi about Covid-19. “It was a courtesy meeting with PM today. During the meeting, I raised the issue of Covid and the need for more vaccines and medicines in the state. I also raised the pending issue of the change of name of the state. On this issue, he said, “He will see.”

Prior to her meeting with PM Modi, Banerjee met former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath and Congress MP Anand Sharma in the national capital.