'If helpless people come ...': Mamata Banerjee's offer for shelter as Bangladesh crisis spirals

Addressing the TMC's Martyrs' Day rally in Kolkata, Banerjee asserted her commitment to humanitarian aid, referencing the United Nations Resolution on refugees to justify her stance amid the severe law and order breakdown in Bangladesh over the past few days.

In the wake of escalating violence in Bangladesh, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced on Sunday that she would offer shelter to distressed individuals from the neighbouring country.

Addressing the Martyrs' Day rally of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in Kolkata, Banerjee asserted her commitment to humanitarian aid, referencing the United Nations Resolution on refugees to justify her stance amid the severe law and order breakdown in Bangladesh over the past few days.

Banerjee stated, "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 added that the UN Resolution mandates accommodating refugees in regions adjacent to those experiencing turmoil, citing the example of Assamese people allowed to live in Alipurduar during the Bodo strife.

She also assured cooperation to Bengal residents with relatives stuck due to the violence and extended assistance to Bangladeshis in Bengal facing difficulties returning home. Banerjee urged the people of West Bengal to exercise restraint and not be provoked by the situation in Bangladesh, expressing her solidarity with those affected by the violence.

Soon after, the President of the BJP’s Bengal unit, Sukanta Majumdar, and junior union minister slammed Banerjee's comments, suggesting that matters involving foreign policy should be consulted with the Centre before making public statements.

"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," Majumdar said.

Violence has escalated in Dhaka and other parts of Bangladesh over student protests demanding the reform of the quota system for government jobs. The protests aim to end a system that reserves up to 30 percent of government jobs for relatives of veterans from the 1971 war of independence against Pakistan.

Additionally, Banerjee praised Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, who attended the rally, for his party's performance in the Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh. She criticised the central government, predicting its collapse soon and accusing it of misusing agencies to stay in power. Yadav echoed her sentiments, asserting that the current government in Delhi is not sustainable and will soon fall.