Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday asserted that the TMC is not boycotting the Centre’s multi-party diplomatic mission aimed at countering Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and would send its representatives once a formal request is received from the Centre.
Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress supremo, also emphasised that the Centre should not decide the party’s nominee to the delegations.
Her statement came after a controversy broke out that TMC MP Yusuf Pathan was forced to opt out of the multi-party diplomatic delegation. The BJP has attacked West Bengal’s ruling party for the development.
“We were not contacted about this (naming a party representative for the delegation),” Banerjee said at the Kolkata airport before leaving for the northern part of West Bengal on a three-day official visit.
“Nowadays, the system is that they do not inform the mother party but inform the parliamentary party. But the parliamentary party works for Parliamentary sessions. They cannot make policy decisions,” she said.
The TMC supremo said the Centre did not request the party authorities to name an MP to be a member of the delegation.
“If the request comes to us, of course we can consider it. We always support the central government’s policy (on external affairs). If anything is special, we will think of it, but not now. At present, we are supporting the central government’s views and actions,” she said.
Banerjee said the Union government has no right to pick representatives of a party.
“It is the choice of the party concerned. If they request me to send someone, we will decide on the name and tell them. It is not that we are boycotting or not going. This (assumption) is wrong,” she said.
Banerjee said that the party has no hesitation in saying that it is fully with the central government and there should not be any controversy.
TMC MP Yusuf Pathan’s name was announced as part of a delegation led by Janata Dal (United) MP Sanjay Jha, that is set to go to Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan and Singapore to convey India’s message on Operation Sindoor. Pathan, however, opted out.
TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, considered number two in the party, also said that the party leadership should decide on the names of its representatives.
Abhishek Banerjee said that the TMC will support whatever decision the Centre takes to combat and curb terrorism, safeguard the sovereignty of the nation and protect the national interest.
“But if there is a multi-party delegation going, it will be the individual party to decide its representatives,” the Diamond Harbour MP told reporters at the airport before leaving for Delhi.
“If you (the Centre) ask for one representative, we will give you five names. But the Centre also needs to show its good intent and call for a wider deliberation with all parties in the opposition,” he added.
The BJP described the TMC’s decision to allegedly force Pathan to withdraw from the delegation as unfortunate.
“This is a Government of India delegation and should have been kept above partisan politics. Members of Parliament are representatives of the people as well,” BJP leader Amit Malviya posted on X.
He also claimed that other “senior TMC MPs are now sending feelers to be included”.
