Not time to play politics: Mamata

Kolkata, May 11: West Bengal is being “unnecessarily targeted” over its handling of Covid-19, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee told Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, insisting she wants to fight the pandemic jointly with the Centre, TMC sources said.

She also demanded that the Centre formulate a “clear strategy” to fight the disease, sources in the state’s ruling party said.

Ms Banerjee, who spoke during a teleconference the Prime Minister had with CMs days before the third phase of the nationwide lockdown ends, highlighted the “contradictions” in the Centre’s approach to tackling the outbreak.

“On one hand, the Centre wants the lockdown to be enforced strictly, and on the other, it is resuming train services and reopening land borders,” sources quoted her as having told the meeting while presenting her views on whether the lockdown should be extended beyond May 17. It was not known whether she spoke in favour of lifting the lockdown or extending it.

She suggested that states be allowed to decide on which sectors to open and which to keep shut keeping in mind the situation on the ground. “We want to fight the pandemic alongside the Central government. But Bengal has been unnecessarily targeted politically. Instead of shifting the onus on the states, the Centre should come out with a clear strategy on the way forward,” she said at the meeting.