The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday that Bangladesh has officially objected to the recent remarks made by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the ongoing protests in the neighbouring country over a quota system for government jobs.
“I can confirm that we have received a diplomatic note from the Bangladeshi side, protesting against the comments made by the Chief Minister of West Bengal,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a media briefing here.
“I would like to underline that under the Seventh Schedule, Union List I, Item No. 10 of our Constitution, the conduct of foreign affairs and all matters which bring the Union into the relation with any foreign country are the sole prerogatives of the Union government,” he added.
Addressing the Martyrs’ Day rally in Kolkata on July 21, the West Bengal chief minister commented on the ongoing unrest in Bangladesh, saying that she would not hesitate to provide shelter to the “helpless people” coming from the neighbouring country and seeking refuge in West Bengal.
“There is a United Nations resolution that the neighbouring countries should show respect and accommodate refugees coming from regions under turmoil,” the Trinamool Congress supremo said.
Reacting strongly, the Sheikh Hasina government termed the West Bengal CM’s remarks “provocative” and “inaccurate”, especially at a time when the local authorities were trying to normalise the tense situation there.
The MEA, meanwhile, termed the ongoing protests in Bangladesh an “internal matter” of the country and thanked the Bangladesh government for its “excellent cooperation” that has helped in the safe return of over 6,700 Indian students till now.
Jaiswal said, “So far we have had over 6,700 Indian students come back from Bangladesh. We received excellent cooperation from Bangladesh government. Our High Commission has arranged for their safe and secure travel to the border crossing point and the airports. Helplines are working 24/7. We also feel that being a close neighbour, with whom we share very warm and friendly ties, we are hopeful that the situation returns to normalcy.”
“We are aware of the situation in the country. We have been closely following the developments there. India considers the ongoing situation in the country to be an internal matter of Bangladesh. With the support and cooperation of the Bangladesh government, we were able to arrange for the safe return of our students which we deeply appreciate,” the MEA spokesperson said.
The protests in Bangladesh have erupted due to demands for reforming the quota system that reserves civil service jobs for specific groups, including descendants of 1971 war veterans. The unrest intensified, leading to violence, including attacks on state television headquarters and police booths in Dhaka.
The protests in Bangladesh have erupted due to demands for reforming the quota system that reserves civil service jobs for specific groups, including descendants of 1971 war veterans. The unrest intensified, leading to violence, including attacks on state television headquarters and police booths in Dhaka.
The situation prompted a curfew, school closures, and nationwide suspensions of mobile and internet services.