Shivraj Singh Chouhan slams Mamata Banerjee over Cyclone Yaas meeting row with PM Modi

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan criticized West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for arriving late at a cyclone review conference held by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, May 28, calling her behaviour an "insult" to the people of the state. Chouhan noted, "PM Modi ji is the Prime Minister of India. The entire country follows him. He went to West Bengal for the welfare of people, to know the wellbeing of people affected by the cyclone there. Mamata didi's conduct is an insult to the people of Bengal."

Shivraj Singh Chouhan condemns Mamata Banerjee's conduct

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a review meeting yesterday in Kalaikunda, West Bengal's Paschim Medinipur district, to assess the post-cyclone condition. The conference was intended to be attended by Mamata Banerjee. She arrived 30 minutes late, though, and brought him details of devastation caused by Cyclone Yaas' impact. She then proceeded to Digha for her pre-arranged appointment. After the cyclonic storm Yaas damaged numerous portions of the state, Banerjee requested Rs 20,000 crore relief assistance from the Centre.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also did an aerial survey of the West Bengal and Odisha cyclone-affected areas. On Wednesday, May 26, Cyclone Yaas made landfall in West Bengal. In the previous two days, several districts, including Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur, Bankura, South 24 Pargana, and Jhargram, have been affected. Coastal areas like as Digha and Sundarban were the hardest hit.

Chouhan, together with other ministers and officials, chaired a meeting on Friday to examine the protocol for launching Unlock-1 in the state in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak. He stated at the meeting that the state's COVID-19 crisis is under control. The state administration intends to start a number of initiatives on June 1. Later, he encouraged patients to follow all of the COVID-19 rules.

Union Ministers hit out at Mamata Banerjee

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was also offended by Mamata Banerjee's conduct calling the incident "terrible." Singh said that the Chief Minister's behaviour was "painful" and that it is an unfortunate example of putting political differences above the constitutional duty of public service. Singh was referring to the Prime Minister's well-intentioned visit to provide relief in the aftermath of the cyclone's destruction. The West Bengal Chief Minister's conduct had sunk to an "unfortunate low," according to Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The Home Minister took to Twitter to join the chorus of outrage at the TMC chief's behaviour. 

Also, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said non-cooperation with the Centre is a blatant violation of constitutional norms. He added that the TMC supremo should rise above "petty politics, shed her ego" and work with the nation to provide relief to the people of Bengal.

(with inputs from ANI)

Picture Credit: PTI