Mamata Banerjee wades into diplomatic row

Subhasish Mitra (Wide Angle)

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has waded into a diplomatic controversy with Dhaka objecting to her offer of shelter to people affected by violent-clashes in Bangladesh.

 

Notwithstanding Sheikh Hasina government's friendly relations with the Trinamool Congress leader, Dhaka conveyed its objection to Banerjee's remarks.

 

Even External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal appeared to have disapproved of Banerjee's comments.

 

He said matters that bring "the Union into relation with any foreign country, are the sole prerogative" of the central government.

 

The diplomatic row arose after Banerjee, in an address at the 'Martyrs Day' rally of the Trinamool Congress in Kolkata, referred to violence-hit Bangladesh and said she would keep the doors of West Bengal open for people in distress from the neighbouring country and offer them shelter.

 

Answering a question during his weekly media briefing here, Jaiswal said, "I would underline that under the 7th 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."

 

In her remarks, Banerjee had 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 had 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.

 

Bangladesh was recently in the news for the deadly clashes, with protesting students demanding the Sheikh Hasina-led government to scrap a controversial job quota system. Over 120 people were killed in the clashes that began weeks ago, prompting law enforcement authorities in Bangladesh to imposed a nationwide curfew.

 

The Trinamool chief was also snubbed by senior BJP leaders, who accused her of justifying Bangladeshi infiltration in West Bengal and changing the demography of the state.

 

BJP leader and former Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad was of the view that such issues are entirely in the domain of the Government of India and recalled that it was the Union government which took a call on sheltering Bangladeshis following the 1971 war.

 

He said the Trinamool Congress leader has been stridently opposed to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act to give citizenship to persecuted religious minorities in neighbouring countries but wants to help infiltrators.

 

BJP co-incharge for West Bengal Amit Malviya too questioned Banerjee's authority to offer shelter to anyone coming from another country, saying immigration and citizenship are exclusively in the Centre's domain, and that states have no locus standi in such matters.

 

Reacting sharply to Banerjee's remarks at the public event, Malviya wrote in a post on X, "Who gave Mamata Banerjee the authority to welcome anyone in India? Immigration and citizenship are exclusively in the Center's domain. The States have no locus standi.

 

"This is part of I.N.D.I Alliance's evil plan to settle illegal Bangladeshis from Bengal to Jharkhand, so that they can win elections," the BJP leader charged.

 

Demonstrations erupted in Bangladesh as people were upset over a quota system that reserved up to 30 per cent of government jobs for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladesh's war of independence in 1971. The country's top court on Sunday, however, scaled back the controversial system leading to a let up in mob fury.

 

As the neighbouring country witnessed bloody violence, roughly 7,000 Indian students rushed back home from Bangladesh. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said they used various land ports or took flights from Dhaka and Chittagong airports.

 

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar earlier said the MEA is fully focused on ensuring safety and well being of the Indians in Bangladesh. Besides, Indian missions in Bangladesh are in regular touch with authorities concerned to ensure safety and security of Indian nationals and students.

 

Jaishankar said in a post on X: "Appreciate the concern of families and well wishers of Indian nationals in Bangladesh. MEA is fully focused on ensuring their safety and well being."