CPI-M, Congress point to Mamata's 'hypocrisy' on federalism

A day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee attacked the Narendra Modi government for "bulldozing federalism," the CPI-M and the Congress on Sunday said the Trinamool Congress supremo is being "hypocritical" in the matter.

"I share the Chief Minister's ire at Centre's authoritarianism but for her hypocrisy," Communist Party of India-Marxist State Secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra posted on Twitter.

"For long she had been part of the central government. Where were the concerns then for federalism," asked Mishra.

He said the Left Front legislature party was the first to meet then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in August 2011, voicing the demands of the state.

"Why were you (Banerjee) silent in spite of being in the central government," said Mishra, harking back to the time when Trinamool Congress was part of the then United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre.

Congress state unit president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said there was "little difference" between Modi and 'Didi' (Banerjee).

While the Congress opposed the "deprivation of Bengal", it's clear the ruling Trinamool was behaving like the central government in trying to wrest control of the civic bodies held by the opposition parties in Bengal, Chowdhury said.

"Didi is complaining against the Centre depriving Bengal. Let there be protests against this deprivation that we too want to fight. But why are they (Trinamool) trying to take control of opposition-held panchayats and municipalities by resorting to financial blockade and terror tactics," Chowdhury said on Facebook.

"It is difficult to differentiate between Modi and Didi. Both walk the same path," added Chowdhury.

Taking strong exception at the recent rationalisation of centrally sponsored schemes, Banerjee on Saturday dubbed Modi and his government "dictatorial" and wondered if there was a presidential form of government in India.

--IANS

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