‘Jairam, you weren’t even there': Nirmala Sitharaman to Cong leader over Mamata Banerjee's walkout from NITI Aayog meet

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday hit back at Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, after the latter's attacks on NITI Aayog in wake of Mamata Banerjee walking out of the central think tank meeting.

In response to Ramesh's "attached office of PMO" at the NITI Aayog, Sitharaman said,"Jairam, you weren’t even there! We all heard Hon. CM @MamataOfficial. She spoke her full time. The screen in front of our tables kept showing the time. A few other CMs spoke beyond their allotted time. On their own request, extra time was allowed without any fuss. Mikes were not switched off, not for anybody, particularly, not for CM, WB. Mamata ji has chosen to spread falsehood."

“I was happy she attended. Was happier when she said she is speaking for Bengal and in fact for the entire opposition. I may agree or disagree with what she had to say. But now with her saying baseless things outside, I can only conclude that she is making an effort to keep I.N.D.I alliance happy,” the minister said.

The opposition has hit out at the Narendra Modi government after Banerjee walked out of the NITI Aayog meeting, alleged she was unfairly not allowed to speak for more than five minutes.

“I said the central government should not discriminate against state governments. I wanted to speak, but my mic was muted. I was allowed to speak only for five minutes. People before me spoke for 10-20 minutes,” the Trinamool Congress chief had alleged. "

Jairam Ramesh in an X post had said,"Since it was established ten years ago, NITI Aayog has been an attached office of the PMO and has functioned as a drumbeater for the non-biological PM."

What NITI Aayog said?

On Mamata Banerjee's allegation, NITI Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam said,"The Chief Minister of West Bengal requested to be given a turn before lunchtime. I'm just putting facts on the ground, no interpretations. It was a clear request from their side because normally we would have gone alphabetically, starting with Andhra Pradesh, then Arunachal Pradesh. We adjusted, and the Defence Minister called her in just before Gujarat. So, she made her statement.

(With PTI, ANI inputs)