Not national issue: Puri on CM Banerjee's allegation at NITI Aayog meeting

Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday played down West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's allegation that her mike was turned off when she was speaking at the NITI Aayog meeting in Delhi, stating that it was "not a national issue."

Puri was speaking at a press conference here on the Union Budget, organised by the Gujarat BJP.

Banerjee walked out of the NITI Aayog meeting claiming that her mike was muted five minutes after she started speaking. She claimed that other chief ministers were allowed to speak much longer.

"I was not inside, and don't know how much time was given (for her to speak)," the Union minister told reporters when asked about the row.

"But it is also said in Parliament that the mike has been turned off. It so happens that the mike is turned on when speaking. I do not know much about it. I have no idea how long she spoke. But I am certain that this is not a national issue, whether you spoke for 15 minutes or 18 minutes," he said.