New Delhi: In a rare violation of the protocol, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee kept Prime Minister Narendra Modi waiting, attended the Cyclone review meet briefly and left even while the deliberations and damage assessment was on, highly placed sources said.
According to govt sources, PM Modi and Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar waited for more than 30 minutes for Mamata to turn up at the Cyclone Yaas review meet.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on visit to Odisha and Bengal to assess the damages caused by Cyclone Yaas.
Didi makes PM Modi wait for over 30 minutes
Didi and her Chief Minister arrived 30 minutes late for the meeting. And, even that didn’t last long. Bengal CM is understood to leave the review meet ‘mid-way’ claiming that she had other meetings lined up. The Chief Secretary handed over the documents summing up damaged incurred due to Cyclone Yaas.
West Bengal CM & Chief Secy arrived late by 30mins for cyclone review meet despite being in the same premises, according to sources. WB CM upon entering review meet handed over papers related to the cyclone impact & said that other meetings were lined up and left, as per sources. pic.twitter.com/h9dJcCT50V
— ANI (@ANI) May 28, 2021
This happened after Mamata allegedly declined to attend meeting PM Modi. The reason behind refusal was allegedly the guest list, according to which Suvendu Adhikari was also likely to attend the meet. Presence of her bete-noire and former aide Suvendu Adhikari prompted her to announce that she will give the meeting a miss.
Didi’s clarification over meeting row
Bengal CM, while talking to media later, clarified that she left the meeting after taking permission from PM Modi.
“Chief Secretary submitted the report on damages inflicted by Cyclone Yaas,” she said.
The Chief Secretary has submitted a report to the Prime Minister over the destruction caused due to cyclone Yaas in the State: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee pic.twitter.com/95khmFJcHI
— ANI (@ANI) May 28, 2021
PM had called meeting. We didn’t know I had meeting in Digha. I went to Kalaikunda & gave PM report, asking for Rs 20,000 Cr- Rs 10,000 cr each for Digha Development & Sundarban Development. I told him you (state’s officials) wanted to meet me. I took his permission & left: WB CM pic.twitter.com/06roJuKVNN
— ANI (@ANI) May 28, 2021
PM Modi does aerial survey of Cyclone hit areas
Earlier, PM Modi took an aerial survey of the Cyclone affected areas in Bengal and Odisha. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan accompanied him during the aerial survey.
PM Narendra Modi undertakes aerial survey to review the situation in the wake of #CycloneYaas in parts of Odisha and West Bengal; Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is accompanying him pic.twitter.com/BmsRQ1pmvr
— ANI (@ANI) May 28, 2021
#WATCH Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducts an aerial survey of cyclone Yaas affected areas in West Bengal and Odisha
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is accompanying him pic.twitter.com/Njl0XUly0n
— ANI (@ANI) May 28, 2021
