Bhubaneswar: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Bannerjee expressed concern before Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the Delhi riots at the 24th Eastern Zonal Council meeting here today and maintained that peace should prevail in the country at any cost.
“Before the start of the meeting I told that I may be excused, I am saddened by whatever has happened in Delhi. It’s very important to get back peace,” said Bannerjee speaking to reporters after having her luncheon at Naveen Niwas.
She said that she told the meeting that there is a need to stand with the families of those including the policeman and IB official who have been killed in the riots.
“They need to be helped,” she added.
“I told them that anything happening in any State in the country has its continuation in other states. So I told them that peace should prevail in the country,” said Bannerjee to reporters.
Responding to media query whether she raised the issues of CAA, NRC, or NPR at the meeting, Bannerjee said: “NRC, NPR, and CAA was not on the agenda of the meeting. They didn’t raise that, so neither did we; this meeting was not for that”.
The West Bengal Chief Minister said that the discussion at the meeting was largely on developmental issues, revision of coal royalty, share to States from proceeds of clean energy, delay in getting compensation for GST, etc.
“We discussed pending issues like coal, railways, civil aviation, issues that are pending between the State and the Central governments like delay in getting GST compensation, etc. We told them that eastern India should get maximum importance,” Bannerjee revealed.
“I normally don’t take lunch and had joined the luncheon in respect of the Union Home Minister and Chief Minister since Naveenji had invited. So I took a bit of raita,” she further revealed.
