KOLKATA: Claiming that the recent recommendations for rationalisation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSSs) were "unilateral", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday called the Narendra Modi government "dictatorial" and wondered if there was a presidential form of government in India.
Mamata called the recommendations made by "BJP dominated" sub-group of chief ministers on the CSS rationalisation as an attack on federalism, and said the situation under the Modi government was worse than that during Emergency.
"The Centre has sent a letter declaring that the recommendations have been implemented. Citing cooperative federalism, they are actually bulldozing the states and democracy. This is nothing but dictatorship."
"I want to know if they are running a presidential form of government in the country," a fuming Banerjee told media persons while waving a letter by the National Institution for Transforming India (Niti) Aayog.
The Union Cabinet earlier this month accepted the major recommendations of the sub-group on CSS rationalisation, including limiting the total number of schemes to 30 and changing the sharing pattern between the Centre and the states.
"This is the most arrogant government I have ever seen. This is the reason behind Jammu Kashmir issue turning into a disaster as also the Pakistan issue," she said.
The Chief Minister said the motive behind the move was to deprive states where the BJP was not in power.
"They have formed a public financial management system whose purpose is to the track the expenditure made by the states. Why do they want to monitor the state treasury? From media to education, the Centre is trying to control everything. They are trying take control of an elected government," the Trinamool leader said.
Banerjee, who is the Trinamool Congress supremo, said President Pranab Mukherjee's intervention would be sought against the Centre's arbitrary action.
"This is a dangerous red signal to stop democracy. We will seek the President's intervention and also hit the streets in protest against the Centre's continuous attacks on democracy and federalism," added Banerjee.