NEW DELHI: West Bengal leader of the opposition Suvendu Adhikari on Friday wrote to external affairs minister S Jaishankar urging him to prevent future foreign visits by chief minister Mamata Banerjee in her official capacity. Adhikari accused Banerjee of undermining India on the international stage and bringing shame to the country during her recent visit to the United Kingdom.
In his letter, Adhikari claimed that Banerjee’s remarks in London displayed “devotion and admiration for the colonial masters,” which he described as “unthinkable” for a Bengali. He cited her speech at a business event in the UK, where she said, “I love 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.”
Adhikari condemned her remarks, saying that Bengal had been at the forefront of the independence movement, resisting British rule. He said that praising the colonial past amounted to “public renunciation of the sacrifices made by our freedom movement revolutionaries.”
The letter also criticised Banerjee for her statements at Oxford University’s Kellogg College, where she appeared to “downplay” India’s economic growth. When a speaker highlighted that India had overtaken the UK as the world’s fifth-largest economy and was projected to become the largest by 2060, Banerjee disagreed, saying, “I will differ that.”
Adhikari called her response “simply treasonous” and an “embarrassment for every Bengali and Indian.” He alleged that Banerjee had “deliberately tarnished India’s reputation on foreign soil” and accused her of opposing the country’s economic rise.
The BJP leader further urged the external affairs ministry to conduct a “thorough probe” into her remarks and ensure she is not granted permission for official foreign visits in the future. He referenced existing guidelines that require the ministry of external affairs to approve such visits and suggested that her remarks should be considered grounds for disqualification.
Banerjee’s visit to the UK was marred by controversy, as she faced protests from a group of demonstrators at Kellogg College. Protesters held placards questioning her stance on election violence in West Bengal and the RG Kar College case. BJP leader Amit Malviya shared a video of the incident, criticising Banerjee for her comments on India’s economic future. “West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has a problem with India becoming the world’s largest economy… This is truly shameful,” he posted on X.
Union minister Giriraj Singh also slammed Banerjee, saying, “Hiding the truth and insulting India, both are done by Mamata Banerjee. Today, the whole world is seeing and respecting our growing economy, but unfortunately, when Mamata Banerjee and the ‘tukde-tukde gang’ go abroad, they insult India. This is unfortunate.”
Banerjee, however, responded to hecklers during her speech, saying, “Please don’t do politics here on this stage. That you can do with me in my state, not here.” She also defended her government regarding the RG Kar College case, stating, “The case is sub-judice, also, it is with the Central government, not with us.”
