A day after the West Bengal Chief Minister criticized the Centre for not inviting her to be a part of the ongoing visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to New Delhi, the government on Thursday said that no chief ministers of any state are invited for such visits.
The government officials said that Chief Ministers sometimes are invited to be part of ceremonial events or state banquets, but on this visit, there was no such occasion. “PM Modi in the year 20105 had invited Banerjee to a ceremonial event which was held for flagging off the bus services between India and Bangladesh”, the government sources were quoted.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Thursday called off the Centre for not giving her a proper invitation to be part of Hasina’s visit. “I never saw that. Bangladesh’s Prime Minister came to India, and Bengal was excluded from that. I share a very good relationship with Hasina. She used to send me Hilsa, mangoes, and other things. I also send her gifts every year”, Banerjee said at a special session of the TMC.
I share a very good relationship with Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina, but Centre did not invite me to be part of her official visit to India: Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. PTI PNT
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 8, 2022
She also added the Centre did not invite her even after Bangladesh Prime Minister herself expressed a desire to meet Banerjee. “I do not want to talk about external affairs issues or bilateral ties. But I have seen and did not know why the Central Government is trying to stop me whenever I get an invitation from any foreign country. Why this anger against me? I got an invitation from Chicago but the Central Government refused to permit that tour. I want to know what the government is so worried about”, she was quoted.
The TMC Chief meanwhile also did not attend the event of unveiling of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s statue at Kartavy Marg in New Delhi claiming that the invitation from the Central Government was improper. The Centre had reportedly invited the West Bengal CM for the inauguration event of Netaji’s statue.
Kolkata, WB | I feel bad they’re now making a Netaji Statue in Delhi. What about the statue present before? I received letter from an under secretary stating PM will inaugurate the statue today&you be there before the event commences. Am I their bonded labour?: CM Mamata Banerjee pic.twitter.com/Br9VnOVeYw
— ANI (@ANI) September 8, 2022
Criticizing the government over the installation of Netaji’s statue, Banerjee on September 8 said, “I feel bad they’re now making a Netaji Statue in Delhi. What about the statue present before? I received a letter from an under-secretary stating PM will inaugurate the statue today&you be there before the event commences. Am I their bonded labor?”
BJP’s Amit Malviya also took cognizance of the incident and said that Banerjee was upset as Netaji’s statue was being installed in the national capital.
Mamata Banerjee is feeling bad that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s statue is being installed in the heart of Delhi. She did nothing to honour his legacy and now that Prime Minister Modi has taken the historic decision, she is making puerile attempts to sully the solemn occasion…
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) September 8, 2022
“Mamata Banerjee is feeling bad that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s statue is being installed in the heart of Delhi. She did nothing to honor his legacy and now that Prime Minister Modi has taken the historic decision, she is making puerile attempts to sully the solemn occasion”, he tweeted.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived in New Delhi on Monday. She is on a four-day visit to expand the overall ties between the two countries.
