West Bengal Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari has asked External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to not allow Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to undertake official foreign visits in the future.
Adhikari wrote to Jaishankar on Friday accusing Banerjee of spoiling the global image of India and bringing embarrassment to the country with her recent visit to the United Kingdom.
He also asserted that Banerjee's words in London expressed an excessive admiration for the nation's colonial heritage, referring to such views as "unthinkable" for a Bengali.
As reported by The Times of India, Banerjee, while speaking at a business event in the UK, stated: "I love the UK because we have an emotional relation, historical relation. From the heritage point of view, ours and from yours also. 190 years, you ruled in India. You ruled Bengal. So we forget that? Always India remembers you, and Bengal also remembers you."
Criticizing her remarks, Adhikari emphasized that Bengal played a pivotal role in opposing British rule during India’s freedom struggle. He argued that glorifying colonial rule disregards the sacrifices of the nation’s freedom fighters.
Controversy Over Banerjee’s Comments on India's Economic Growth
Adhikari also criticized Banerjee's remarks delivered at Oxford University's Kellogg College, where she apparently belittled India's economic advancement. While in a discussion, a speaker pointed out that India had overtaken the UK as the fifth-largest economy in the world and was expected to become the largest by 2060, Banerjee opposed this notion by saying, "I will differ that."
Terming her statement "simply treasonous" and an "embarrassment for all the people of Bengal and India," Adhikari charged Banerjee with deliberately defaming India's image overseas. He faulted her for being against the economic growth of the country and claimed that her statement blackened India's image.
The BJP chief also called on the Ministry of External Affairs to carry out a "proper investigation" into Banerjee's statements and place limits on her official foreign tours.
Referring to government norms that demand clearance from the Ministry of External Affairs for such excursions, Adhikari contended that Banerjee's statements should disqualify her from further international interactions in an official role.
Banerjee's visit to the UK was also accompanied by protests. At Kellogg College, protesters carried placards questioning her position on electoral violence in West Bengal and the RG Kar Medical College scandal, adding to the controversy surrounding her visit.
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