On Tuesday, the Bengal government formally declared its opposition to the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee. According to local news agencies, she recently gave a statement on her comments that some people would understand out of context, and because of this misunderstanding the two countries are now confused.
Bangladesh sends a formal note to New Delhi and registers its protest “Regarding honorable Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s issue I would say one thing that we had very good relationship with her our relation was too deep. But those words have brought some confusion in this kind of area which is Misguided.
West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has sought a report from Banerjee about her remarks which have heated up political situation in the meantime. The Congress party said that there were no constitutional powers for this state and it is left at the hands of Centre dealing with any external affairs.
She referred to United Nations resolution while speaking over refugees on Sunday saying that they will give shelter to these persons who are from Bangladesh who have been affected by violence and they will not be turned away “if they come knocking”. “This is because there is a UN resolution requiring that areas around troubled zones be resettled with refugees,” explained the CM.
‘BJP says power doesn’t belong to state governments’
The decision on such matters lay solely with central government according to BJP’s Ravi Shankar Prasad who took offence at remarks raised against his party by Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Wednesday. Also at stake were centre-state relations as well as state’s autonomy; Prasad added that warnings like those made by CPM did not help solve India’s federal issues either.
“Mamata Ji you’re same person who had told CAA do not let anybody enter Bangladesh especially Hindus, Sikhs, Zoroastrians and Christians suffering from violence. CAAs always been opposed by Mamta ji And CAA is not for the people of Bangladesh. It means nothing.
At the same time, the BJP accused TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of double standards for providing refuge to protestors and violence victims in neighbouring Bangladesh but deliberately failing to do so through CAA. Similarly, if they are seeking political asylum in this country then a Hindu, Sikh, Parsi or Christian would do the same thing.
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla asked whether Bengal was an “independent country”.
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TMC defends Mamata’s remarks
However, according to Sudip Bandyopadhyay, the TMC leader, his party fully supported West Bengal CM’s right to speak with Sheikh Hasina regarding ongoing violence over quota-based civil service job in that nation and also pointed out their good relationship.
“Mamata Didi has a very cordial relationship with Bangladesh Prime Minister. When required, both can communicate,” said Bandyopadhyay. This came amid protests in Bangladesh where more than 150 people descended calling for reforming quotas. “I cannot comment on Bangladesh (issue) because it is an independent country… but if helpless people knock on Bangladesh’s door, we will shelter them because the United Nations resolution allows neighboring regions to assist people in distress,” she says.
Protests have erupted in Bangladesh against a quota system that reserves civil service jobs to certain categories of people, including children of freedom fighters. Unrest escalated into violence, when students protested against the policy of allocating government positions to sons and daughters of war heroes with the attack on Dhaka’s police station and state TV offices. For its part, the Bangladeshi administration imposed curfew, shut schools and disabled transport systems as well as internet connections country wide. The Supreme Court of Bangladesh intervened after more than 100 people were killed in demonstrations reducing the quota for relations of veterans from 30% to 5%.
