Jayalalithaa making non-issue political: Rajeev Shukla

Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa was trying to draw political mileage out of a non-issue, union minister Rajeev Shukla said.

Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa was trying to draw political mileage out of a non-issue, union minister Rajeev Shukla said on Thursday after she walked out of the National Development Council (NDC) meeting here and alleged that the government was humiliating her.

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"All the chief ministers have been given equal time... in fact, the prime minister invited her to speak out of turn before the others... she is trying to make political issue out of a non-issue," Minister of state for parliamentary affairs and Planning Rajeev Shukla told reporters.

Miffed at not being allowed to deliver her full speech, Jayalalithaa walked out of the NDC meet here accusing the government of humiliating her.

The NDC meet here had stipulated 10 minutes for each chief minister to speak but this did not go down well with Jayalalithaa.

"I began my speech and as soon as 10 minutes were up, they rang a bell. It was a big humiliation," said Jayalalithaa.

"Just allot 10 minutes and humiliate in this way. They need not have called us all the way to Delhi. I register my strong protest against the centre's move to stifle the voices of chief ministers who are in the opposition," she added.

"We have to work in time limits... the buzzer is going for Congress chief ministers also," said Shukla adding that "35 CMs were to speak".

The 57th National Development Council meeting is being held at Vigyan Bhavan here.