Kolkata — West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a fierce attack on the NITI Aayog on Tuesday over a serious error in one of its official publications. The issue: a map on the cover page of the Aayog’s ‘Summary Report for the State of West Bengal’ that mistakenly labelled Bihar as West Bengal.
In a strongly worded letter to NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Suman K. Bery, Banerjee described the blunder as “not merely a technical error, but an affront to the identity and dignity of West Bengal”.
“Such a grave lapse in an official document of a premier national institution… reflects an alarming lack of diligence and respect towards the states of the Union,” she wrote.
The chief minister also posted the incorrect map and her letter on X (formerly Twitter), bringing public attention to the oversight.
⚠️ Concerns Over Credibility
Banerjee raised concerns over the rigor, reliability, and quality of NITI Aayog’s research and documentation, stating that such errors cast serious doubt on the credibility of its reports.
“It raises legitimate concerns about the rigor and reliability of the institution’s work, which policymakers and citizens alike depend upon,” she added.
📢 Demand for Apology and Action
In her letter, the chief minister demanded:
- A public apology from NITI Aayog
- A formal clarification acknowledging the mistake
- Immediate correction of the erroneous document
- The institution of robust checks and balances to prevent such lapses in future
🔥 Political Reaction
Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale was among the first to highlight the issue on social media. Sharing the faulty map, he wrote:
“It is PATHETIC that the Govt of India cannot even place West Bengal on a map… The BJP has 12 MPs from Bengal including 2 Union Ministers. And yet, their govt shamelessly shows Bihar as Bengal.”