Sat silently, bigger states like Bengal should’ve been heard: Mamata

Kolkata, April 27 (IANS) Expressing dismay over her state not getting a chance to speak at the video conference on Covid-19 management with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the opinion of bigger states should have been taken as they were the biggest sufferers due to the pandmemic.

Banerjee said from the Prime Minister’s body language at the video conference with the Chief Ministers, she could guess that the lockdown would continue.

“We were not scheduled to speak today, as nine other states gave their opinion. Despite that we attended the conference.

“We were hoping if we get a chance to speak we will update on the situation in our state. But we were not allowed to say anything, we sat silently,” she told media persons at the state secretariat Nabanna.

Asked whether it would have been good had Bengal been allowed to articulate its stand, Banrrjee said: “Definitely. Small states should have their chance to sit, but we would have been happy had the opinion of bigger states been taken. That’s because they are the ones suffering more due to the viral outbreak.”

Banerjee said she would have liked to seek clarity about the lockdown and restrictions as well as on the logic behind deputing a central team to review the adherence of lockdown norms and Covid management in the state.

–IANS

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