In a major blow to the TMC government led by Mamata Banerjee, state minister and President of Jamiat-Ulema-e-Hind Siddiqullah Chowdhury was denied visa to visit Bangladesh. Chowdhury had applied for a Bangladesh visa 10 days ago and had booked his tickets in advance as well. This development comes a few days after he had threatened Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Chowdhury was scheduled to visit Bangladesh from December 26 to 31. “I had applied for visa on Dec 12-13 for the five-day trip. I was invited to address a program there, and had personal commitments, too,” he said.
He further said, “But, I am yet to receive my visa. They have neither said my visa application is accepted nor have they officially denied it. I have all the required documents and necessary permission both from the state and central governments.”
Notably, Chowdhury had recently threatened to stop the Union Home Minister Amit Shah from stepping out of the Kolkata airport if the CAA is not withdrawn immediately. While speaking at a rally he had warned the Home Minister, “We may not allow Shah to step out of the city airport if necessary. We may gather one lakh people there to stop him.”
It must be noted that Bangladesh has been very cautious in giving visas to the radicals or extremist elements, it does not want anyone who gives communal and inflammatory speeches in its territory. Bangladesh also share a special relationship with India, its PM Sheikh Hasina shares a cordial relation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Despite the growing Islamisation of the ‘Bengali identity’, PM Hasina has been harsh on the extremist elements in Bangladesh. India’s continued partnership and assistance under Modi government benefits Bangladesh immensely hence it would not entertain any radical element on its soil as it might upset the Modi government. This incident of WB minister not getting a visa could be considered as an example of PM Modi’s diplomacy and his influence in the neighbouring countries.
While the TMC supremo must realize that West Bengal is not a separate country but a part of India, she and her colleagues must follow their constitutional obligations. The mindset of the state government regarding the constitution stands exposed as it has openly warned the central government against the CAA, which is duly passed by the parliament of the country. Showcasing Muslim appeasement, Bengal government had even stayed all activities relating to the preparation and update of the National Population Register (NPR) in the state. Spreading fear among the people CM Mamata had stated, “There is no need to worry about NRC and CAB. We will never ever allow it in Bengal. They can’t just throw out a legal citizen of this country or turn him/her a refugee.”
Instead of catering to the extremist elements and infiltrators, Mamata and TMC should abide by the obligations enshrined in the Constitution and stop supporting the radical elements.