Centre must ensure safe return of people: Mamata on Bangladesh turmoil

Banerjee is on a two-day visit to Digha where the state government is building a temple dedicated to Lord Jagannath

Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday urged the Centre to act and ensure the safe return of people from Bangladesh amid tension over alleged atrocities on Hindus and other minorities.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee expressed concerns over the prevailing tense situation in Bangladesh (PTI)

Banerjee, who is on a two-day visit to Digha, a beach destination in the state where the government is building a temple dedicated to the deity, Jagannath, also thanked leaders of the INDIA alliance for supporting her as their leader.

“The Centre must act. The government must ensure the safety of the people and provide a safe passage for those who want to return to India,” Banerjee said, speaking to the media in Digha..

The temple, being constructed on the lines of the Jagannath Temple in Puri, is set to be inaugurated on April 30, 2025. Banerjee will also flag off the first Rath Yatra in Digha next year.

She also condemned the circulation of fake videos and claimed some people were trying to give a communal twist to the violence in Bangladesh.

“Imams in West Bengal have unanimously condemned the attacks on minorities in Bangladesh. We have demanded that the minority community be protected. Many people are crossing the border, with valid visas, coming to India by flights and trains. The Indo-Bangla border hasn’t been sealed. Had the Centre closed the border, we would have been informed. No such instruction has reached us,” she added.

A week after blocking goods vehicles from crossing the Indo-Bangladesh border at Petrapole, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday staged a protest at Ghojadanga in North 24 Parganas along with a Hindu organisation.

“This isn’t right. They (BJP) are in power at the Centre. They (BJP leaders in West Bengal) can take instructions from the Centre on the dos and don’ts. Despite being in the opposition, we are acting responsibly. And the party in power at the Centre is playing politics. They (BJP leaders) are doing the job of the Prime Minister. Ask them (BJP leaders) not to take the law into their own hands,” Banerjee said.