Mamata Banerjee, while referring to the crisis in Bangladesh where dozens have been killed in violent protests, said that the doors of West Bengal are open for distressed people from the neighbouring country and shelter would be provided to them.
Bangladesh Protests: The Central government Sunday termed the remarks made by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as “totally misplaced”, hours after she offered shelter to refugees from Bangladesh amid violent protests in the neighbouring country.
As per central government sources, a state administration has no locus standi on the issue as these matters are handled by the Union government and the comments made by Mamata Banerjee are “totally misplaced”, PTI reported.
“In the Union of India, these matters are handled by the Central government. A state government has no locus standi on the issue and as such their comments are totally misplaced,” the source said, according to PTI.
‘Bengal’s doors open for Bangladeshi refugees’
Earlier, addressing the ‘Martyrs Day’ rally of Trinamool Congress (TMC) in Kolkata, Mamata Banerjee, while referring to the crisis in Bangladesh where dozens have been killed in violent protests, said that the doors of West Bengal are open for distressed people from the neighbouring country and shelter would be provided to them if they seek refuge.
Justifying her stand on the issue, Banerjee cited the United Nations Resolution on refugees, and asserted that Bangladesh stands on the brink of a possible humanitarian crisis that may emerge in the country due to the severe breakdown of law and order which has been witnessed there since protests erupted.
“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,” she said in her address at the ‘Martyrs Day’ rally.
Bangladesh Protests
Violent protests and deadly clashes have rocked Bangladesh over the past few weeks protesting students hit the streets, demanding the Sheikh Hasina-led government to scrap a controversial job quota system.
The violent clashes, which erupted weeks ago, have left over 100 people dead so far, though he exact number of deaths is not yet clear.
Law enforcement authorities in Bangladesh have imposed a nationwide curfew as the clashes between protesters demanding withdrawal of a job quota system and police continued across the country.
(With inputs from agencies)