Centre preventing investments in West Bengal: Mamata

Kolkata, Nov 24 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government of deliberately hindering industry investments in her state.

"You tell industry don't go, don't invest your money in Bengal. Is it not a crime in a federal structure? Why central government is telling industry not to go to Bengal?" Banerjee asked here at the "India Today Conclave East 2017".

She also questioned the pendency of projects in the state.

"Why so many projects are pending? Pendency has become the tendency. There is no cooperative federalism. Super emergency is going on. Every industrialist in now under threat, under scanner. There is no voice of industry. All media (outlets), except one or two, are under scanner. This is sorry state of affairs... Never seen this type of arrogance and attitude," Banerjee said.

The Trinamool Congress supremo said even leaders were not being allowed to voice their opinion on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"If I say something, their minister calls me and says 'why are you speaking against Narendra Modi'? I say this is my political right ... and they threaten us also sometimes like this. This is the situation. Where will we go? Democracy is under scanner," she said.

Banerjee also reiterated her stand that the eastern states have been neglected: "Gujarat is Gujarat. I respect Gujarat. One shouldn't discriminate between different states. Every state is doing work. I don't want to discriminate between states.

"Northeastern and eastern parts have been neglected from beginning. Problem is that you don't give proper justice to the people. I don't agree that we have to beg for everything."

(This story has not been edited by Social News XYZ staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)