‘It’s Unfortunate’: PIB Fact-Checks Mamata’s ‘Mic Shut’ Claim, Sitharaman Lashes Out At Her Amid NITI Meet Row – News18

Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman lambasted West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee over her allegations of latter’s mic being switched off during the ongoing NITI Aayog meeting in New Delhi. She said that it’s unfortunate that a chief minister is framed a false narrative. She urged that Banerjee should speak the truth behind this rather than again build a narrative based on falsehood.

“CM Mamata Banerjee attended the Niti Aayog meeting. We all heard her. Every CM was given the allotted time and that was displayed on the screen which was present before every table…She said in the media that her mic was put off. That is completely false. Every CM was given their due time to speak…It’s unfortunate that the chief minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee has claimed that her mic was switched off which is not true…She should speak the truth behind this rather than again build a narrative based on falsehood,” news agency ANI quoted Sitharaman as saying.

Her remarks came after Banerjee alleged that her that her microphone was deliberately switched off when she started speaking about the allocation of funds for the state. She then walked out of the ongoing meeting.

“…I was speaking, my mic was stopped. I said why did you stop me, why are you discriminating. I am attending the meeting you should be happy instead of that you are giving more scope to your party your government. Only I am there from the opposition and you are stopping me from speaking…This is not only the insult of Bengal but also of all regional parties…” she alleged.

However, the government in a statement said it is a misleading claim by the CM that her microphone was switched off. “Claim that microphone of West Bengal CM was switched off during the meeting correct. The clock only showed that her speaking time was over. Even the bell was not rung to mark it. Alphabetically, her turn would have come after lunch. She was accommodated as the 7th speaker on an official request of West Bengal government as she had to return early,” the PIB said in a post on X.