The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday confirmed receiving a note from Dhaka that conveyed its objection to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s remarks offering shelter to people affected by violent-clashes in that country. Bangladesh Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud has earlier objected to Mamata’s recent remark of offering “shelter” to people from Bangladesh amid ongoing protests in the country.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, appearing to disapprove of Mamata’s comments, said matters that bring “the Union into relation with any foreign country, are the sole prerogative” of the Central Government.
In an address at a public event in Kolkata, Mamata, referring to violence-hit Bangladesh, said she would keep the doors of West Bengal open for people in distress from the neighbouring country and offer them shelter.
There were reports in the Bangladeshi media that said Dhaka has communicated to New Delhi through diplomatic channels its displeasure over the West Bengal Chief Minister’s comments.
“I can confirm that we have received such a communication from the Bangladesh side. It is essentially on the lines described in the reports,” Jaiswal said during his weekly media briefing while replying to a question.
“I would underline that under the Seventh schedule — List one — Union List — item 10 of our Constitution, the conduct of foreign affairs and all matters which bring the Union into relation with any foreign country, are the sole prerogative of the Union Government,” he said.
Mahmud, in a video shared widely on X, was heard saying, “With all due respect to Mamata Banerjee, with whom we share a relationship of mutual interests... However, her statement has created confusion and has the potential to create confusion among people. Therefore, we have sent a note to the Indian government on her statement.” Mahmud communicated with the Indian government through diplomatic channels.
West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose has also urged Banerjee not to make any “politically-motivated populist remarks” on the current situation in neighbouring Bangladesh that could affect the nation’s external affairs.
In her remarks on Sunday, Banerjee also referred to the UN Resolution on refugees as justification for her stand over the possible humanitarian crisis that may emerge on account of the severe law and order breakdown that gripped Bangladesh.
“I should not be speaking on the affairs of Bangladesh since that is a sovereign nation and whatever needs to be said on the issue is a subject matter of the Centre,” Banerjee said.
“But I can tell you this, if helpless people come knocking on the doors of Bengal, we will surely provide them shelter,” she said at the ‘Martyrs Day’ rally of the Trinamool Congress.
Bangladesh was reeling under deadly clashes with protesting students demanding the Sheikh Hasina-led government to scrap a controversial job quota system. Over 100 people were killed in the clashes that began weeks ago.
Law enforcement authorities in Bangladesh had imposed a nationwide curfew.According to reports from Dhaka, the overall situation has witnessed some improvement in the country since Wednesday.
