Amit Shah, Mamata Banerjee meet over lunch, but what did they talk about?

Bhubaneswar:  Today, Union minister Amit Shah and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee were seen together, having lunch in Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik's residence in Bhubaneswar. 

 

After attending a lunch hosted by Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik, Banerjee said there was no discussion on the CAA or NRC at the meeting as it was not on the agenda.

 

The West Bengal chief minister stated that though there was no discussion on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) or the NRC at the Eastern Zonal Council (EZC) meeting, she did raise the issue of violence in Delhi.

 

 

Banerjee expressed concern over the communal clashes in Delhi that have claimed over 40 lives and said that steps should be taken so that the situation doesn't aggravate further.

 

"I am very sad about what happened in Delhi. A police constable and an IB official also died. Peace must be restored in Delhi," she said at the meeting.

 

"Neither did they raise the issue nor did I. It was also not on the agenda. This meeting was not for that," she said.

 

She joined Union home minister Amit Shah and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar for lunch hosted by Patnaik at his official residence.

 

Asked if she would back the demand of Shah’s resignation in the wake of the Delhi riots, Banerjee said, "The problem should be solved first and then we will discuss politics."

 

She said that peace should prevail across the country and the riot victims should be adequately compensated.

 

At the meeting, the West Bengal chief minister raised the issue of alleged negligence of the Centre towards her state.

 

She claimed that West Bengal did not get the required assistance during natural calamities such as cyclone Fani and Bulbul, besides several other pending dues from the Centre.

 

"We have not got Rs 50,000 crore from the Centre," she said.

 

Banerjee said she also raised the issues of delay in GST compensation payment and lowered share of states in devolution of central taxes.

 

Issues relating to the development of the states in the region, the need for coal royalty revision, strengthening of infrastructure were also discussed at the EZC meeting, she said.