West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: India on Thursday confirmed receiving a note from Dhaka that conveyed its objection to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's remarks offering shelter to people affected by violent-clashes in that country.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, appearing to disapprove of Banerjee's comments, said matters that bring "the Union into relation with any foreign country, are the sole prerogative" of the central government.
In an address at a public event in Kolkata, Banerjee, referring to violence-hit Bangladesh, said she would keep the doors of West Bengal open for people in distress from the neighbouring country and offer them shelter.
There were reports in the Bangladeshi media that said Dhaka has communicated to New Delhi through diplomatic channels its displeasure over the West Bengal chief minister's comments.
"I can confirm that we have received such a communication from the Bangladesh side. It is essentially on the lines described in the reports," Jaiswal said during his weekly media briefing while replying to a question.
"I would underline that under the Seventh schedule -- List one -- Union List -- item 10 of our Constitution, the conduct of foreign affairs and all matters which bring the Union into relation with any foreign country, are the sole prerogative of the Union government," he said.
In her remarks on Sunday, Banerjee also referred to the UN Resolution on refugees as justification for her stand over the possible humanitarian crisis that may emerge on account of the severe law and order breakdown that gripped Bangladesh.
"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," Banerjee said.
"But I can tell you this, if helpless people come knocking on the doors of Bengal, we will surely provide them shelter," she said at the 'Martyrs Day' rally of the Trinamool Congress.
Bangladesh was reeling under deadly clashes with protesting students demanding the Sheikh Hasina-led government to scrap a controversial job quota system. Over 100 people were killed in the clashes that began weeks ago.
Law enforcement authorities in Bangladesh had imposed a nationwide curfew.
According to reports from Dhaka, the overall situation has witnessed some improvement in the country since Wednesday.