Didi grouse on PM meet .....She said it was unclear to her how long the lockdown would go on for

Meghdeep Bhattacharyya, TT, 28.04.20, Calcutta: Mamata Banerjee on Monday said she would have been “happy” had she been allowed to speak during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s videoconference with chief ministers.

The Bengal chief minister said she had sat in the meeting for three hours, only listening.

“We were not allowed to say anything. We sat quietly, idly. Three hours, we only listened. Of course, the smaller states should be allowed to speak, but the bigger states, suffering a great deal, their opinion should have been sought,” she said at Nabanna.

“I don’t mind that it wasn’t sought. But would have been happy to be able to give it. Would have liked to know a few things too,” she added.

“Although it was said from the very beginning which nine states will speak, and we were not on the list of speakers today, we attended the meeting. If we get a bit of a chance to speak, we would update them on the latest situation here.”

The chief minister seemed to take umbrage at one of Modi’s purported statements in the meeting.

“The Prime Minister said something rather nice…. If more cases happen, that state cannot be called bad. If less happens, that state cannot be called great…. That is well put. Then why should I take responsibility if less happening cannot be called great? I will only take responsibility for as much as the Centre will assign us,” said Mamata.

She said it was unclear to her how long the lockdown would go on for. “The policy decision is the Centre’s, but the state government is the implementing authority. If the state government does well, there is no praise. If it doesn’t, there will be criticism.”

The chief minister said she would have liked to know the basis for some of the decisions regarding resumption of business or services. “The Centre has been issuing circular after circular. This decision, that decision, closing this, opening that… I don’t object to that. But there is need for some consultation. But the states should also be asked where they stand,” she said.

Mamata said she would wait for two days for clarity on such matters and had asked chief secretary to speak to Union cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba.