Bhubaneswar: CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for hosting a conclave of NDA chief ministers, alleging that it was “discriminatory” and “undemocratic”.
Addressing a press conference in Bhubaneswar, Baby said had the PM met non-NDA CMs, he would have faced questions that the country wanted to ask about the ceasefire with Pakistan and the US intervention in it.
“What a discriminatory attitude the prime minister has! He is considering our chief ministers on two different levels. This is absolutely atrocious and undemocratic. On the sidelines of the NITI Aayog meeting, the PM met the CMs of NDA-ruled states separately, and kept the non-NDA CMs away from it,” he said.
“He speaks to the chief ministers who do not ask questions and only listen to him. Had he spoken to the non-NDA CMs, he would have faced questions over ceasefire and the US intervention, the answers to which the country wanted to know,” he added.
Maintaining that the CPI(M) was with the fight against terrorism, Baby questioned why the Centre was not convening a special session of Parliament, where all the “doubts” could have been cleared.
He alleged that the PM was trying to politically capitalise on the India-Pakistan conflict.
Expressing concern over hatred being spread, Baby criticised Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah for his comments on Colonel Sofia Qureshi.
“Surprisingly, he continues to remain in his post,” he noted, stating there should be no place for “communal venom”.
Baby also criticised the BJP government in Odisha, alleging that the state has reduced budgetary allocations to the Panchayati Raj Department.
He was accompanied by CPI (M) politburo member Srideep Bhattacharya and state party secretary Suresh Chandra Panigrahi.