The West Bengal Governor, C.V. Ananda Bose, has sought a report from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on her comment offering “shelter” to helpless people of violence-hit Bangladesh, the Raj Bhavan said on Monday.
The Trinamool Congress supremo, on July 21, said, “…I can tell you tahis, if helpless people come knocking on the doors of Bengal, we will surely provide them shelter.” Her comments were made in the wake of the escalating violence in Bangladesh.
In response to this statement, the Raj Bhavan said that it is the Centre’s prerogative to handle anything that is part of external affairs.
“External Affairs and foreign jurisdiction are subject matters exclusively in the domain of the Central Government and are subjects of the Union List. It is the Government of India’s prerogative to handle anything that is part of external affairs. The matter of accommodating people coming in from a foreign country lies in the domain of the Union Government,” the Raj Bhavan said in a statement.
It asserted, “Public statement by a Chief Minister undertaking the responsibility to provide shelter to people who may be coming in from a foreign nation implies Constitutional transgression of a very serious nature”.
The Governor’s office also central government remarks on the issue that “These are matters which are handled by the Union Government. A state government has no locus standi on the issue and as such their comments are totally misplaced.”
The Governor has called upon the Chief Minister to furnish a comprehensive report under Article 167 of the Constitution, the Raj Bhavan officials said.