Mamata Banerjee says CMs not allowed to speak in COVID-19 meet with PM

Howrah (West Bengal) [India], May 20 (ANI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a meeting to discuss the Covid-19 situation.
Banerjee alleged that chief ministers were not allowed to speak in the virtual meeting which was also attended by district magistrates of 10 states and one Union Territory.
The West Bengal chief minister alleged that the chief ministers felt humiliated as they were not allowed to speak and were treated like puppets.
"If states were not allowed to speak why were they called? All the Chief Ministers must protest for not being allowed to speak," Mamata Banerjee said adding that, "Is the Prime Minister feeling so insecure that he did not bother to listen to the Chief Ministers."
"Though the rate of vaccination is low in Bengal, our positivity rate is reducing. The fatality rate is at 0.9 per cent. We have reported four cases of Black fungus in the state," she said.
She further said, "I will keep my promise, I still say that if I get vaccines I will provide to all people. But they are not providing doses."
"He is busy making big buildings and statues of his and people are dying. The death rate is increasing in the country," she further said.
"They are sending a central team over to West Bengal in the name of post-poll violence why not in UP where bodies are floating on the river?" Banerjee asked.
West Bengal Chief Minister's participation at the high-level meet comes after she skipped several such meetings over the past few months.
On April 8, Mamata had reportedly skipped a meeting called by PM Modi to discuss the COVID-19 situation in the state. This was not the first time the West Bengal Chief Minister has not attended a meeting convened by the Centre. Over the past few years, the West Bengal Chief Minister has on several occasions skipped meetings convened by Niti Aayog.
According to Union Health Ministry, West Bengal has 1,31,793 active COVID-19 cases. The total number of recoveries has reached 10,26,492 and fatalities have mounted to 13,576. (ANI)