PM Modi chairs NITI Aayog meeting; Kejriwal, Mamata, Nitish boycott
What's the story
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday presided over the NITI Aayog's (National Institution for Transforming India) eighth Governing Council Meeting at the new Convention Centre in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. However, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee skipped the key meeting. According to reports, six other CMs also reportedly stayed away from the meeting due to various reasons.
Context
Why does this story matter?
NITI Aayog's Governing Council is the premier body for creating a common vision of national priorities and policies with the participation of states and union territories. The focus of Saturday's conference was to deliberate on the "Viksit Bharat @2047: Role of Team India" theme. However, eight state CMs didn't attend it, including Kejriwal, who skipped it to protest against the Centre's Delhi ordinance.
Details
What did official statement say about meeting?
According to NITI Aayog's official statement, the eighth Governing Council Meeting provides an opportunity to create a roadmap for Viksit Bharat by 2047, in which the Centre and states work as "Team India." "Eight prominent themes will be discussed...[including] MSMEs, infrastructure and investments, minimizing compliance, women empowerment, health and nutrition, skill development, and Gati Shakti for area development and social infrastructure," the statement said.
Reason
Why Kejriwal didn't attend NITI Aayog meeting
On Friday, Kejriwal wrote to PM Modi that he would not be attending the NITI Aayog meeting. He questioned the purpose of attending going when "cooperative federalism" has devolved into a "joke" and the prime minister refuses to obey Supreme Court directives. Kejriwal was apparently alluding to the Centre's ordinance to control Delhi's bureaucracy, which irked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)'s Delhi government.
Twitter Post
Attack on democracy doesn't represent India's vision, cooperative federalism: Kejriwal
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal to boycott NITI Ayog meeting, writes a letter to PM Narendra Modi saying "People are asking, if the PM doesn't abide by the SC then where will people go for justice? What's the point of attending NITI Ayog meeting when cooperative federalism is a joke" pic.twitter.com/CPIQJaF9oH
— ANI (@ANI) May 26, 2023
Mamata Banerjee
West Bengal CM Banerjee's reason for skipping meeting
Reportedly, Banerjee decided to skip the NITI Aayog meeting after the Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led the West Bengal government's request to send the state finance minister and the chief secretary was turned down by the Centre. The Centre reportedly "insisted" that Banerjee attend the event. However, West Bengal Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said Banerjee was busy with other work without elaborating on the actual reason.
Information
Which other chief ministers skipped meeting
Other state CMs, who have decided not to attend the NITI Aayog meeting include Bhagwant Mann of Punjab, Nitish Kumar of Bihar, K Chandrashekar Rao of Telangana, MK Stalin of Tamil Nadu, Ashok Gehlot of Rajasthan, and Pinarayi Vijayan of Kerala.
Reasons
Know about reasons behind these CMs' absence
Kumar and Rao expressed their inability to attend due to prior commitments. Stalin couldn't attend the meeting since he was on a Singapore and Japan visit. Mann also boycotted it in protest of the alleged discrimination by the Centre against Punjab. Gehlot cited health reasons for not attending the meeting, while Vijayan has not offered a clear explanation for his absence.