After the Sheikh Hasina government of Bangladesh announced reservation in government jobs for the families of freedom fighters, the entire country is engulfed in violence. So far 133 people have died. In Bangladesh, 53 years after the 1971 liberation war, the pro-Pakistani Islamic militia Razakars have resumed, while the Islamic fundamentalist force Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) has taken full control of the student movement. The student movement that started against reservation has now completely turned into a movement against the Hasina government.
India is a neighboring country of Bangladesh. There are thousands of Indians and students. The Ministry of External Affairs has issued an advisory regarding Bangladesh and every facility is being provided to the returning students and Indians. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal has said that External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is monitoring the situation in Bangladesh. India is providing all possible assistance to the returning students, but they have termed the matter entirely as an internal matter of Bangladesh. India is completely following a ‘watch and wait’ policy on the violence in Bangladesh.
Why does Mamata want to give shelter to Bangladeshis?
Apart from the Indian government’s stand, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee’s big statement has come out on Sunday. Addressing a Trinamool Congress rally in Kolkata, Mamata Banerjee announced that if the helpless people of Bangladesh seek shelter, her government is ready to provide shelter to the helpless people of the neighboring country. There is a proposal from the United Nations that neighbors can help if someone is in trouble.
Since the central government has maintained silence regarding the violence in Bangladesh as an internal matter, Mamata Banerjee’s statement has been widely discussed in political and diplomatic circles. In the federal government system, international affairs are often commented by the central government, but Mamata Banerjee herself has come forward to comment on this matter. After Mamata Banerjee’s statement regarding Bangladesh, TMC MP and TMC leader in Lok Sabha Sudip Bandyopadhyay’s statement has come to the fore. Sudeep Bandopadhyay said that Mamata Didi has a good relationship with the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. Both can talk to each other if needed…” But the BJP has reacted strongly to Mamata Banerjee’s remarks.
BJP has raised questions on Mamata’s statement
On Mamata Banerjee
Odd Days – We will not allow Hindu refugees, who came to India to escape religious persecution, to apply for citizenship and get their legal rights under the CAA. If they insist, we will ask illegal Rohingyas, who vote TMC, to burn trains, block roads. pic.twitter.com/cSMqrkCF4M
– Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) July 21, 2024
BJP has raised questions on Mamata Banerjee’s statement. BJP leader Amit Malviya tweeted that on one hand Mamata Banerjee says that we should allow Hindu refugees who came to India to apply for citizenship under CAA to escape religious persecution and not allow them to get their legal rights. If they insist, we will ask illegal Rohingyas, who vote TMC, to burn trains, block roads and kill people.
Mamata Banerjee should know that West Bengal is an integral part of India. Millions of revolutionaries have sacrificed their blood to secure a homeland for Hindu Bengalis. This kind of treasonous language does not suit the present Chief Minister. She should not be underestimated pic.twitter.com/3aDXeCgxV7
– Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) July 21, 2024
He said that and now Mamata Banerjee is saying that Bangladeshis are welcome in India. He asked who gave Mamata Banerjee the right to welcome anyone to India? Immigration and citizenship are the sole jurisdiction of the Center. States have no right. This is part of the nefarious plan of the Indian National Congress alliance to settle illegal Bangladeshis from Bengal to Jharkhand, so that they can win elections.
Is Mamata doing votebank politics?
Dr. Mohit Roy, author of the book ‘Pashchim Bengaldesh’ and refugee movement leader, says that Mamata Banerjee actually wants to make West Bengal West Bangladesh. The slogan they give is Jai Bangla… This is the slogan of Bangladesh, originally intended to separate East Bengal from Pakistan. Now Mamata Banerjee is talking about opening the doors of the state for the people of Bangladesh. This is beyond their authority and Bangladesh is a sovereign country and its country’s international policy is determined by the central government.
He said that Mamata Banerjee actually wants to strengthen her vote bank in the state by raising the issue of Bangladesh. First the Left parties and now Mamata Banerjee’s party is supporting Muslim infiltration from Bangladesh in the state and behind this statement is the intention to support the Muslim vote bank.
He said that during the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, three million people were killed by the Pakistan Army. At that time a large number of refugees came to India from Bangladesh and the Indian government gave them shelter, but even then infiltration from Bangladesh into India continues and Rohingyas are also coming to this country along with Bangladeshis and the Trinamool Congress government and its leaders are giving them shelter and now Mamata Banerjee wants to further strengthen this vote bank by talking about opening the doors to the people of Bangladesh again.
Close relationship between West Bengal and Bangladesh
Senior journalist Prabhakarmani Tiwari says that West Bengal and Bangladesh have a very close relationship. Both were part of a single state before the partition of the country. People of Bangladesh and West Bengal also sympathize with each other. People of both the countries have relations in each other’s country. Relations between Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina and West Bengal CM are also very good. In such a situation, it is possible that Mamata Banerjee spoke of giving asylum to the people of Bangladesh as a courtesy. As far as infiltration from Bangladesh is concerned. This continues continuously and the central government as well as the state government are equally responsible for this.
Does Mamata want to be another Indira?
Partha Mukhopadhyay, an expert on Bangladesh affairs, says that Mamata Banerjee wants to strengthen her image in national politics by addressing the violence in Bangladesh. After the violence in Bangladesh, there has been no talk of people coming to the country, but Mamata Banerjee has come forward and offered help. At a rally in Kolkata on Sunday, Mamata Banerjee’s minister Arup Biswas called her the sun of India’s liberation. Earlier, during the 1971 Bangladesh war, the Congress hailed Indira Gandhi as the Sun of Asia’s liberation. At that time, the then PM late Indira Gandhi fully supported the freedom fighters of Bangladesh and with their help, defeated Pakistan and Bangladesh became an independent nation. It is clear from this statement that Mamata Banerjee is trying to project herself as a national leader. Let us tell you that Mamata Banerjee claimed in this rally that the NDA government is not stable and this government can fall anytime.
