india

Updated: May 05, 2019 17:56 IST

A day after the Bengal administration alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi bypassed it and called governor Keshari Nath Tripathi to prepare a report on the damage inflicted by Cyclone Fani, government sources said the claim was not correct.

“Attention has been drawn to reports in a section of the media, that the Trinamool Congress has expressed its displeasure at Prime Minister Modi speaking only to West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi, about the post-Fani situation in the state.

“Apparently, Trinamool leaders have claimed that the Prime Minister had called up Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, but did not phone West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. The above claim is incorrect,” sources said.

Two attempts were made on Saturday morning, from the Prime Minister’s staff, to connect the Prime Minister to the West Bengal CM on phone.

“The first time, the staff who were attempting to place the call, were told that the West Bengal CM is on tour, and the call will be returned. On the second occasion too, the staff attempting to place the call were told by the CM’s office, that the call will be returned.”

Alleging that the Prime Minister bypassed the state government, Trinamool secretary general and minister Partha Chatterjee said on Saturday, “This is the biggest example of indecency. In a federal structural a state government has its own position and rights. The Modi government never respected that.”