The Oxford Union debating society postponed the virtual address of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee at the last moment on Wednesday afternoon, citing unforeseen problems.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s virtual address at the Oxford Union debate has been postponed. (PTI Photo)
“The request has been made telephonically from the organisers’ end, citing some unforeseen problems, a brief while ago. The program with Oxford Union today stands cancelled,” the state home department tweeted a few minutes before the chief minister was supposed to deliver the address.
Banerjee would have been the first Indian woman leader and an administrative head to address the forum, according to the Trinamool Congress.
The Oxford Union was founded as a debating society in the early 19th century. Eminent personalities like the Dalai Lama, Stephen Hawking, Albert Einstein and Mother Teresa have addressed the union debates.
Later, the union sent a letter to Goutam Sanyal, principal secretary to the chief minister.
“I sincerely hope that the Hon’ble Chief Minister will understand, and might honour us with her esteemed presence at the earliest possible convenience to you. With your permission, I will pass your details onto my successor, to whom I hand over this Friday,” Beatrice Barr, president of the OU wrote in her letter to Sanyal.