After the Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s reaction against the walkout by Bengal Chief minister Mamata Banerjee from the Niti Ayog meeting in Delhi, The Trinamul Congress has reacted sharply against the FM’s statements to the media.

The ruling party in Bengal in its official X-handle posted: “NDA 3.0: Mic Bandh Sarkar! Despite being the sole Opposition voice, Smt. @MamataOfficial was not allowed to raise her concerns at today’s Niti Aayog meeting in Delhi.

This is yet another example of how the Jomidars of Delhi want to silence Bengal — at every step. As if withholding Bengal’s funds and depriving us in the Budget wasn’t enough.

The people of Bengal are watching.”

Bengal finance minister and senior leader Chandrima Bhattacharya hit back at Nirmala Sitharaman saying, “Mamata Banerjee had gone to attend on behalf of all the opposition parties. She was not allowed to speak and not allowed to tell the central government about the deprivation of Bengal by the government. She came out and through the media expressed her views. Surprisingly, we find that the Union finance minister spoke against Mamata and used unparliamentary language. Can she say that the Bengal CM was making false statements, she should ask herself if she can use such words against a chief minister, who has been thrice been elected to the post. She has also said that the CM was searching for reasons to leave the meeting of Niti Ayog. May I remind the Union finance minister that our CM knows what to say, where to say and how to say. She need not find excuses. In fact, the FM is finding excuses because Bengal has been deprived. Mamata wanted to speak about this and she was stopped from speaking the facts. We strongly protest the FM’s statements.”

Trinamul’s spokesperson Dr Riju Dutta wrote on his X-handle: “Malware has awakened—and with it, a harsh reality that the BJP’s masquerade is over!

How many more broken promises and failed budgets will it take to reveal the BJP’s true face? They have shown time and again that they are unequivocally ANTI-POOR.

You’ve starved the poor, you’ve shattered our nation, and you’ve obstructed our rightful funds. And now, with shameless arrogance, you dare to label our demand for the rightful dues as “unfair.”

SHAME ON YOU!”