Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has appealed to the British businessmen and the Indian Embassy in Britain to work towards enhancing business ties and social and cultural relationship between England and Bengal and not least restoring a direct flight from Kolkata to London.

The Chief Minister who was speaking at a programme at the Indian Embassy said that though London was not far from Kolkata she took 18 hours to reach the British Capital as there was no direct flight between the two of the biggest cities of the erstwhile Raj.

Banerjee on Tuesday told a British delegation that attended the programme at the Indian Embassy in London said, “London is not far away from Kolkata. We need a direct flight from London. It took 18 hours for me to reach here. It could be easier.” The Chief Minister also said that she was looking forward to strengthen ties between Bengal and England. “Bengal has always believed in building bridges and not walls,” she said. Later Banerjee said that her discussions with the visiting dignitaries that included some industry captains and a British delegation centred around “deeper cultural and business cooperation … enhancing economic partnerships and strengthening people-to-people ties.”  

Banerjee is on a six-day trip to England where she is to deliver a lecture at a private college on Thursday besides meeting some possible investors. The Chief Minister is also likely to take part in a Government-to-Government (G2G) programme on Wednesday.

Banerjee who was earlier seen jogging inside the Hyde Park off Buckingham Palace on her characteristic saree and trademark sleepers told businessmen she met, how Bengal had “a huge trained labour force and they are intelligent and ready for the market.” Her activities inside the park, particularly jogging on a saree and a pair of sleepers instantly became an object of “likes” “dislikes” and “comments” in the social media. 

Banerjee is accompanied by Chief Secretary Manoj Pant and her senior party colleague Kunal Ghosh.