Kolkata: Press Council Chairman Justice (Retd) Markandey Katju on Sunday criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for being "intolerant" to criticism. "People have right to criticise and if one is intolerant to criticism then he or she has no right to be in politics," Katju said at Press Club in Kolkata while speaking at a programme organised by Kalidas-Galib Foundation to remember writer Sunil Gangopadhyay.
"Banerjee likes herself to be surrounded by only yes-men. But you also need to have men around you who can say no. You can't run a government if you are not ready to listen to others. You have to run government in a democratic manner. You may take final decision but in a democracy you must listen to others," he said.
"One needs to have good advisers to run the government. It is for the government to take decision, but it is necessary that the government is given sound advice. Chanakya had said this in Arthashastra. For this, officers should be allowed to work in fearless manner," he said.
Recollecting his meeting with Banerjee, Katju said, "I had praised her earlier. She has personal integrity and she feels for the Aam Aadmi. Even Sunil Gangopadhyay had said this. But she is intolerant." Katju also criticised Banerjee for citing the Gujarat model for development. "Having good roads and a few factories are not everything. It is an immature statement because death of children due to malnutrition is the highest in Gujarat," Katju said.
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