Pranab Mukherjee slams Centre for not honouring late WB Chief Minister

Kolkata, Nov.21 (ANI): Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday slammed the leaders of the Central Government for not giving State honours to the former West Bengal Chief Minister Siddhartha Shankar Ray after his demise.

Mukherjee, during a condolence meeting in memory of Ray in Kolkata, said the Government did not perform its duty.

"Those lawmakers who are in Government did not pay condolence to the Minister. Former Chief Minister deserves the national honour which he did not receive," said Mukherjee.

"The first Chief Minister of West Bengal after the independence was Prafulla Ghosh, the first Chief Minister of non-Congress government was Ajoy Babu. Prafulla Ghosh had been Chief Minister for five years, and then Siddhartha Babu. Not maintaining the State mourning, not giving the State honour for his last journey, I think we did not perform our duties," he added.

Ray was the Chief Minister of West Bengal between 1972 and 1977, and was also the Governor of Punjab between 1986 and 1989.

He passed away on November 7 at the age of 90, and is survived by his wife, Maya. By Ajitha Menon (ANI)