New Delhi: Opposition leader of Western Bengal Suvendu Adhikari On Friday he wrote to the Minister of External Affairs, S Jaishankar, urging him to avoid future visits abroad by Prime Minister Mamata Banerjee in his official capacity. Adhikari accused Banerje of undermining India on the international stage and shameing the country during his recent visit to the United Kingdom.
In his letter, Adhikari said that Banerjee’s comments in London showed “devotion and admiration for colonial teachers”, which he described as “unthinkable” for a Bengali. He cited his speech in a commercial event in the United Kingdom, where she said: “I love the United Kingdom because we have an emotional relationship, a historical relationship … From the point of view of heritage, ours and yours too. 190 years, ruled in India. You ruled Bengal …
Adhikari condemned his comments, saying that Bengala had been at the forefront of the Independence Movement, resisting British domain. He said that praising the colonial past was equivalent to the “public resignation of the sacrifices made by our revolutionaries of the movement of freedom.”
The letter also criticized Banerje for his statements at the Kellogg College of the University of Oxford, where it seemed to “minimize” the economic growth of India. When a speaker stressed that India had surpassed the United Kingdom as the fifth largest economy in the world and projected that it would become the largest by 2060, Banerje did not agree, saying: “I will differ.”
Adhikari described his response “simply traitor” and a “shame for each Bengali and Indian.” He claimed that Banerjee had deliberately fogged the reputation of India in foreign soil “and accused her of opposing the economic increase of the country.
The leader of the BJP also urged the Ministry of External Affairs to carry out an “thorough investigation” in his comments and ensure that he is not granted permission for visits to the foreigner officers in the future. He referred to the existing guidelines that require the Ministry of External Affairs to approve such visits and suggested that his comments should be considered reasons for disqualification.
Banerje’s visit to the United Kingdom was tarnished by the controversy, since he faced protests from a group of protesters in Kellogg College. The protesters maintained banners by questioning their position on electoral violence in Western Bengal and the case of RG Kar College. The BJP leader, Amit Malviya, shared a video of the incident, criticizing Banerje for his comments on the economic future of India. “The West Bengal Prime Minister, Mamata Banerjee, has a problem with which India becomes the largest economy in the world … This is really shameful,” he published in X.
The Minister of the Union, Giriraj Singh, also criticized Banerjee, saying: “Hide the truth and insult India, both are made by Mamata Banerjee. Today, everyone is seeing and respecting our growing economy, but unfortunately, when Mamata Banerjee and the ‘tukde-tukde gangs go abroad, insult the Indian, this is unfortunate.”
Banerjee, however, responded to the hecklers during his speech, saying: “Please do not do politics here at this stage. That you can do with me in my state, not here.” He also defended his government regarding the case of RG Kar College, stating: “The case is subjudice, it is also with the central government, not with us.”