NITI Aayog may strain ties between Centre and state: Congress

Newly-formed NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) is an "authoritative" body as Prime Minister Narendra Modi will decide everything and it may lead to "strained" relations between the Centre and states, Congress said on Wednesday.

"It is discriminatory and may lead to strained relation between the Centre and states," said Madhusudan Mistry, AICC general secretary and in-charge of UP affairs. The senior Congress leader also alleged that it reflected "dictatorial" attitude of the Prime Minister.

"It is authoritative since nothing will go without the clearance of the Prime Minister. It reflects dictatorial attitude of the Prime Minister," Mistry told reporters here. He also claimed that it would affect the development.
Mistry also slammed the NDA's foreign policy.

"Chappan inch ka seena panch inch ka rah gaya hai. Dam hai to Pakistan se ladai kyon nahin ladate (The size of the chest has been reduced from 56 inches to 5 inches. If you have the strength why not go for a war against Pakistan)," he said. The Congress leader also took pot shot at the Centre for providing VIP security to Union minister Niranjan Jyoti.

"The government has given Y category security to Union Minister Niranjan Jyoti for disturbing communal harmony," he said.

He also termed the new Land Acquisition Act as "anti farmer" and alleged that nobody is bothered about the farmer.

"Neither his paddy is being purchased nor cotton seed, after two months the Congress will go to streets and oppose the anti-farmer, anti-people policies of the Union government," he said.