NEW DELHI--In a sign that the Trinamool Congress and the BJP are not patching up yet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave no assurance to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on her request for a moratorium on the more than Rs 3 lakh crore loan on the state.
Sources present in the meeting said the PM told Mamata and Trinamool MPs that if the Centre were to accept that request, it would mean doing so for other states too. Now that the Centre has decided to grant royalty from auction of coal blocks to states, he suggested they use the money to generate their own funds.
“I told the PM about the huge debt we have inherited from the Left, that there should be some relief such as a moratorium on interest,” Mamata said after her first meeting with Modi as PM. “… He said it is true that Bengal has a huge burden. He said he will look into the matter.”
Modi and Mamata walked into and out of the meeting with MPs separately, with Mamata accompanied by her MPs (Mukul Roy wasn’t one of them). The MPs admitted Mamata “did not look too happy” when she came out. “The PM was all smiles when he came in, but the moment she raised the loan waiver, he clammed up. That was a subject he was clearly not comfortable with and she opened with it. On other issues such as money for MNREGA, ICDS etc, the discussions were more positive. Didi pleaded with him but he clearly said if he accepts our request he would have to do so for other states too,” said an MP present in the meeting.
Modi told Mamata he had himself inherited a loan burden of more than Rs 1 lakh crore from the UPA. Tea and biscuits were served but the meeting ended abruptly as the PM reportedly stood up before many MPs had even finished snacking.
Lok Sabha MP Kalyan Banerjee said: “It was a good meeting. They were appreciative of some of the things we have done… On the waiver, of course, he did not make any promises but that is understandable.”
The Indian Express
