Alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with CMs on the Covid situation was "super flop", Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said that she along with her counterparts of many states were not allowed to speak, which was akin to insulting them.
She also claimed that only CMs of the BJP-ruled states were allowed to speak at the meeting, while others were "reduced to puppets".
"This was a casual and super flop meeting. Only CMs of BJP-ruled states were allowed to speak and others were reduced to puppets.
"We feel insulted and humiliated. This is an attempt to bulldoze the federal structure of the country. PM Modi is so insecure that he did not listen to us," Mamata told reporters at the state secretariat Nabanna.
She said the prime minister neither asked how Bengal is handling the Covid situation and nor did he enquire about the stock of vaccines or oxygen.
"There was not a single question from the PM about the 'black fungus'," she said, adding that four such cases have been detected in the state.
Referring to the PM's claim that the Covid-19 caseload is reducing in the country, Mamata asked, "If the total number of cases is declining, why are so many deaths due to the coronavirus infection being reported."
The chief minister also alleged that the central government has "no proper plans" in dealing with the Covid situation in the country.
Plea to send more jabs
Later in the day, Mamata wrote to Modi, urging him to provide at least 20 lakh doses of Covid-19 vaccine for inoculation of all state and central government employees.
Mamata, in her letter, also said that the Centre's policies have "no room to accommodate the needs" of people who run greater risk of contracting the viral disease, including bankers, railway and airport employees, and those working in defence or coal sectors.
"In Bengal, we have taken steps to vaccinate a large section of frontline and electorally engaged employees across several sectors. We still need minimum 20 lakh doses to cover all employees," the chief minister wrote.
She requested Modi to make available adequate number of vaccines for personnel engaged in "priority sectors" without further delay.