 "Mamata Banerjee attending G20 dinner: Matter of courtesy, says TMC leader")
After senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Choudhury on Sunday questioned West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's decision to attend the G20 dinner hosted by President Droupadi Murmu, a senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader said that it was a 'courteous' gesture.
"I wonder what prompted her to rush all the way to Delhi to be in the dinner party along with these leaders," Choudhury told reporters in Kolkata. "Is there any other reason behind her attending the occasion?"
"When many non-BJP Chief Ministers refrained from attending the dinner, Didi (Mamata Banerjee) went to Delhi a day in advance. She attended the occasion with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in the same room", Choudhury further said.
TMC leader Saugata Roy's response
Clarifying why Banerjee attended the dinner, TMC leader Saugata Roy said, "Mamata Banerjee was invited as the chief minister of West Bengal to the G20 dinner by the President (Droupadi Murmu). She attended it as a matter of ample courtesy. There is no political significance to it and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury should not have commented on it."
More From This Section
Responding to his statement, Trinamool Rajya Sabha member of parliament (MP) Santanu Sen said everyone knows Mamata Banerjee is one of the architects behind INDIA opposition bloc and none can question her commitment.
Sen said that Choudhury will not decide when the chief minister of the state will attend a dinner on the occasion of G20 as part of the protocol.
Banerjee went to Delhi on Friday, while the dinner party was held the next day.
Officials said Banerjee's flight was set to take off on Saturday, but it was rescheduled to Friday afternoon due to regulation of flight movements in the national capital.