Lockdown "poorly planned", Centre "playing politics" over pandemic: Mamata
Banerjee, while speaking during a virtual interactionPrime Minister Narendra Modi had with chief ministers on thepandemic, said there was a sharp contradiction between thelockdown order issued by the Centre and subsequent directiveson relaxations.
Calling the nationwide lockdown a "poorly planned"exercise, she suggested that states be allowed to decide onwhich sectors to open and which to keep shut keeping in mindthe situation on the ground.
"On one hand the Centre wants the lockdown to beenforced strictly, and on the other it is resuming trainservices and reopening land borders. What is the point incontinuing with the lockdown if the railways, land borders andall other sectors are allowed to reopen? This iscontradictory," TMC sources quoted her as having told themeeting.
She also launched a frontal attack on Union HomeMinister Amit Shah for allegedly releasing to media a letterhe had written to the state about not allowing trains to ferrymigrant labourers to West Bengal.
"....why did Mr. Amit Shah need to write a letter andsend that to the press? After it was out in the news, peoplewere asking me. What am I supposed to do? Why dont you speakto us directly? I request this must not happen to otherstates," a TMC press release later quoted her as having saidduring the interaction.
Banerjee said she respected Shah but deprecated hisdecision of sending the letter to media beforehand.
She said West Bengal, despite ranking the lowest amongthe 10 states worst affected by the disease, was being"discriminated against".
"I don't feel good saying this but why thisdiscrimination against people of Bengal? Why letters are beingsent to the media with rampant accusations?" she asked.
The TMC supremo also wondered why the Centre did notquestion the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh when it came outwith an ordinance suspending various laws to "snatch away" therights of labourers.
"I appeal to you (PM) to trust the state. This is notthe time for ideological battle but this battle is happeningevery day," the statement quoting Banerjee said.
She asserted that the federal structure should not bebulldozed and the states allowed to decide on the lockdownand the related relaxations.
"We want to fight the pandemic alongside the centralgovernment. But Bengal has been unnecessarily targetedpolitically. Instead of shifting the onus on the states, theCentre should come out with a clear strategy on the wayforward," she told the meeting.
All states, including West Bengal, firmly stand withthe Centre reflecting the true spirit of federalism, and moreimportantly, the spirit of humanity, she said.
She also raked up the issue of the Centre dispatchingtwo teams to the state to take stock of the spread of thepandemic and steps taken to stem it "without priorintimation".
She also alleged that migrant workers were being madeto pay for their journey back home.