West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday said she would keep the doors of her state open for people in distress from the neighbouring country and offer them shelter. The Bengal CM was referring to the protests in Bangladesh where more than 100 people have died.
Banerjee referred to the United Nations 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 has 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. But I can tell you this, if helpless people come knocking on the doors of Bengal, we will surely provide them shelter,” Banerjee said at the TMC's 'Martyrs Day' rally in Kolkata.
“That’s because there is a United Nations Resolution to accommodate refugees in regions adjacent to those under turmoil,” the Bengal CM added while drawing an example from Assamese people who were allowed to live in Alipurduars area of north Bengal during the Bodo strife in the northeastern state.
Assuring all cooperation to Bengal residents whose relatives may have remained stuck on account of the escalating violence on the eastern side of the international border, she also extended assistance to Bangladeshis who came to Bengal but were facing difficulty in returning home. Banerjee also appealed to the people of West Bengal to not get provoked over matters concerning the current situation in Bangladesh.
“We should exercise restraint and not walk into any provocation or excitement on the issue,” she stated.
The Trinamool Congress supremo also expressed her solidarity with the people who have remained at the receiving end of the ongoing violence in the neighbouring country.
“We are sad to see blood getting spilt and my heart goes out to those students who were killed,” she said.
However, the BJP in Bengal said that in such matters, involving the country’s foreign policies, should first be consulted with the Centre before making any public statement.
“It’s true that we are all concerned about the current situation in Bangladesh over which Delhi is keeping a close watch. Our chief minister should not be voicing her opinions on matters involving our country’s foreign policies without first consulting the Centre,” President of the BJP’s Bengal unit and junior union minister Sukanta Majumdar said.
The violence escalated in Bangladesh earlier this week after student protests demanding reforms of the quota system for government jobs.
The protesters are demanding an end to a quota system that reserves up to 30 per cent of government jobs for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladesh's war of independence in 1971 against Pakistan.