BJP slams West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee as she offers to give shelter to refugees

New Delhi/Kolkata, July 21

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday said that in the wake of the escalating violence in Bangladesh, she would keep the doors of her state open for people in distress from the neighbouring country and offer them shelter.

BJP’s IT cell head Amit Malviya criticised Mamata and called her stand an “evil plan to settle illegal Bangladeshis”.

Mamata referred to the UN resolution on refugees as justification for her stand over a possible humanitarian crisis that may emerge on account of the severe law and order breakdown that has gripped the neighbouring country over the past few days. “I should not be speaking on the affairs of Bangladesh as it is a sovereign nation and whatever needs to be said is the subject matter of the Centre. But I can tell you this, if helpless people come knocking on the doors of West Bengal, we will surely provide them shelter,” she said at the “Martyrs Day” rally of the TMC in Kolkata. She drew an example of people from Assam who were allowed to live in adjacent Alipurduar district in northern West Bengal for a considerable period during a strife in the Bodoland Territorial Region in the northeastern state.

BJP’s West Bengal unit chief and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar, however, opined that such matters should first be consulted with the Centre before any public statement is made. “It’s true that we are all concerned about the current situation in Bangladesh over which Delhi is keeping a close watch. Our CM should not be voicing her opinions on matters involving our country’s foreign policies without first consulting the Centre,” he said.

Taking to X, Malviya posted, “Mamata Banerjee on odd days — We will not allow Hindu refugees, who came to India to escape religious persecution, to apply for citizenship under the CAA and get their legitimate rights. If they insist, we will ask illegal Rohingyas, who vote for the TMC, to burn trains, block roads and kill people. Even days — Bangladeshis are welcome to India. Who gave Mamata Banerjee the authority to welcome anyone in India? Immigration and citizenship are exclusively in the Centre’s domain. The states have no locus standi. This is part of INDI Alliance’s evil plan to settle illegal Bangladeshis from Bengal to Jharkhand, so that they can win elections.” /PTI