West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said there was no separate meeting scheduled with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during her visit to Delhi and other areas. "No one-on-one meeting arranged this time with PM," Banerjee said. Banerjee did not directly comment on the use of the "lotus" symbol for India's G20 presidency but noted that even if she did not raise an issue on the matter, others have and would.
"They have been using the lotus symbol earlier as well...I have not made an issue. Actually, it is not an issue. But instead of using a political symbol, they would have gone for a national symbol as many countries would be present. If I won't say anything others will." Banerjee will visit the Ajmer Sharif and Pushkar temple in Rajasthan on Tuesday. PM Modi has called the G-20 all-party meeting later on Monday.
After India took over the presidency of the G20 for one year from December 1, 2022, heads of political parties were invited to attend the meeting convened by the central government to discuss the way forward as New Delhi plans to showcase the best of Indian tradition and culture.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president JP Nadda, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Trinamool Congress president and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, Telugu Desam Party chief N. Chandrababu Naidu and Biju Janata Dal president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik are among those who will attend the meeting at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, news agency ANI reported citing government sources.
Mamata Banerjee Accuses EC Of Offering "VIP Treatment" To PM Modi
Mamata Banerjee accused the Election Commission of offering "VIP treatment" to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a few others by allowing political rallies on election day.
"PM doing rally is illegal on election day. The EC should look into this. If one is holding a political rally on the day of the results, then the result will be what you imagine. They are VIPs different treatment for them," Banerjee told the media before boarding her flight from Kolkata.
(With ANI Inputs)