Mamata Banerjee has perhaps no regard for the lives of people of the state which she has been ruling for many years now. This was evident when she threatened the supporters of BJP that after the elections, they will beg for Central Forces to stay for some more time. Eventually her supporters proved her right.
Again, at the cost of lives of people of West Bengal during distressing times of Cyclone Yaas On 29th of May, Mamata refused to meet PM Narendra Modi to review the situation after Cyclone Yaas. Many of her fans on social media celebrated her snub to PM Modi and opposition Leader of West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari ignoring the fact that this was another instance of dereliction of duty by Mamata Banerjee. This is not something new. Even in the past when people of West Bengal needed her to collaborate with the central government, she chose to throw tantrums.
In 2019, Mamata Banerjee decided to skip the review meeting with PM Modi to assess damage caused by Cyclone Fani.
In her arrogance, she declared that she would talk to the next PM on this issue. She has also skipped multiple meetings which were held to review the Covid19 situation in West Bengal.
Strangely, several Congress handles on Twitter relished this obnoxious attitude of Mamata Banerjee and used it to target Modi by doing irrelevant comparisons. Congress should remember she also snubbed Manmohan Singh and Sonia in the past.
But the newly hired social media cell managers of Congress hardly realise that the disregard towards federal hierarchy and democratic norms by the virtue of Bharat’s federal structure, is Mamata’s habit. And this is a habit which refuses to die. Funnily, in the past Congress has been at the receiving end so many times, that it was no longer funny.
In 2011, Guwahati-Puri Express derailed after a blast on the railway track. 50 passengers were injured.
Mukul Roy who was MoS for Railways, on instructions of Mamata Banerjee defied PM Manmohan Singh’s instruction to visit the derailment site. Instead he chose to accompany Mamata Banerjee on her Jangalmahal visit in West Bengal.
Similarly, in 2011 only, Mamata Banerjee refused to accompany PM Manmohan Singh to Dhaka.
IN 2010, Mamata Banerjee who was Railway Minister at that time, skipped the Cabinet meeting which was chaired by PM Manmohan Singh. Her excuse was that she has “some serious job” to do rather than attending this meeting.
Congress can very well ignore Mamata’s repeated snub to Manmohan Singh, who unfortunately was considered a weak PM even by his allies in the government. But Mamata continued with her ego trips and In 2012, she refused dinner invitation sent by Sonia Gandhi.
Then in 2018, she also skipped a meeting called by SoniaGandhi over the issue of CAA.
It is clear that Mamata uses boycotting meetings as a political tactic. But she does it often at the cost of the interests of common people. It is surprising that every time the media reports her boycotting meetings prominently and then conveniently forgets about it. These are not isolated events but should be seen as a chain of repeated acts to gather cheap political TRP. It is also time now that she is held accountable every time she does that.
-by Ranjan Z (Twitter id: @Ranjan_zeh)
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