NEW DELHI: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday wrote a strongly-worded letter to Niti Aayog vice chairman Suman Bery, objecting to the use of Bihar's map in place of West Bengal’s in a summary report meant for the state.
Terming the error "an affront to the identity and dignity of West Bengal," Mamata said, "In the 'Summary Report for the State of West Bengal' published by Niti Aayog and available on its official website, the map intended to represent West Bengal instead depicts the territory of Bihar.”
Calling it more than a technical oversight, she said, "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."
The chief minister also raised concerns about the credibility of the institution. "This raises legitimate concerns about the rigor and reliability of the institution's work, which policymakers and citizens alike depend upon," Mamata wrote.
She demanded an official apology and immediate corrective action. "The Government of West Bengal strongly condemns this inaccuracy and calls upon NITI Aayog to issue a clarification and apology, rectify the document, and institute mechanisms to prevent such lapses in future," she said.
This isn't the first time the institution has drawn criticism - Niti Aayog had come under fire in 2020 for allegedly relying too heavily on assumptions during its Covid-19 response planning.
Terming the error "an affront to the identity and dignity of West Bengal," Mamata said, "In the 'Summary Report for the State of West Bengal' published by Niti Aayog and available on its official website, the map intended to represent West Bengal instead depicts the territory of Bihar.”
Here goes my letter today to the Vice Chairperson, NITI Aayog, New Delhi, expressing my unequivocal disapproval of their grave lapse in mapping West Bengal! pic.twitter.com/4PM4TlgDRR
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) July 9, 2025
Calling it more than a technical oversight, she said, "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."
The chief minister also raised concerns about the credibility of the institution. "This raises legitimate concerns about the rigor and reliability of the institution's work, which policymakers and citizens alike depend upon," Mamata wrote.
She demanded an official apology and immediate corrective action. "The Government of West Bengal strongly condemns this inaccuracy and calls upon NITI Aayog to issue a clarification and apology, rectify the document, and institute mechanisms to prevent such lapses in future," she said.
This isn't the first time the institution has drawn criticism - Niti Aayog had come under fire in 2020 for allegedly relying too heavily on assumptions during its Covid-19 response planning.
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