Russia-Ukraine War: Why late evacuation, Mamata asks PM Modi

The Bengal chief minister, before leaving for the Uttar Pradesh campaign, broached the subject while speaking to journalists at the Calcutta airport

Mamata Banerjee prays during a ritual at Dashashwamedh Ghat of the Ganga river in Varanasi on Wednesday.

Meghdeep Bhattacharyya   |   Calcutta   |   03.03.22  : Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday accused the Narendra Modi government of “too much politics and too little work”, demanding answers on why the government, presumably, aware of the developments concerning Russia and Ukraine, waited till the actual onset of war to evacuate Indians, especially students, from Ukraine.

Mamata, before leaving for the Uttar Pradesh campaign in the afternoon, broached the subject while speaking to journalists at the Calcutta airport, a day after an Indian student died in Kharkiv.

“It is very unfortunate that our children are stuck in that crisis in Ukraine…. I don’t want to comment on external affairs. But sometimes I have seen that there too, because of some coordination gap, because of some political business, actually we are lagging behind. Our students are stuck up there. Somebody died…,” said the Trinamul Congress chief before going to Varanasi, Modi’s parliamentary constituency, to campaign for the Samajwadi Party.

Mamata was referring to the death of Naveen S.G., a Karnataka youth, who was killed in shelling in Kharkiv on Tuesday morning. 

“If they were aware of the developments, why did they not act earlier? This is not negligence… this negligence is a crime. You cannot play games with our students. Elections come and go, political meetings don’t get disturbed over a few phone calls that can get the job done,” she added. 

“If they want me to go there to go to the battlefield to save lives, I am ready. Any woman in our country is ready for the battle to save the country. These people do too much politics and too little work,” she said.

On Monday, Mamata had written to Modi, recounting India’s role in the non-aligned movement (NAM) and urging him to play an active role in restoring peace at a time when Russia and Ukraine were locked in a bitter war that threatened global peace. The theme of the letter was that of cooperation with the Centre.

“I have pledged my support and written to the Prime Minister. But I do have a question. If he knew everything from three-four months ago, as we are finding out now… why weren’t they brought back earlier?” she asked.

“Then our boys and girls wouldn’t have to weep now, lying on the floors of bunkers. They wouldn’t have had to stay stranded at the Romanian borders. One of them wouldn’t have had to get killed for going to search for a little food,” she added.

Mamata also referred to a purported speech hailing Modi and his role in evacuation, delivered on board a flight bringing back Indian students from the Ukraine by Union civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.

“Bringing them on a plane — anybody in power has to do that, it’s a given — I have seen speeches being given, by the Union civil aviation minister. This is not civil,” the chief minister said.

Mamata pledged full support to those from Bengal trying to return, after coming back to other states from Ukraine.

“I am not in favour of any particular country. I am in favour of peace. But we don’t want destruction from war after destruction from a pandemic. The price for these, the common people have to pay,” she said.

“I still believe India has the power to lead, to speak to everyone and persuade them back to the path of peace,” added the chief minister.

Mamata on Deocha

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday urged th Opposition to allow her government to go ahead with its plan to set up industries.

“Industry and employment are our goals. Let us do it. I heard three political parties sat together and decided not to allow setting up Deocha-Pachami (proposed coal mine project) and Tajpur (proposed seaport) as they can’t come to power in coming 20 years if those projects were done,” said Mamata before leaving for Varanasi on Wednesday.

“You (BJP) are in the Centre and how many jobs have you created (for the youth)? How many industries did you set up?” Mamata added.

Sources said Mamata's comment came after a movement against the proposed Deocha-Pachami coal mine project started in Birbhum’s Mohammedbazar. The situation in the proposed coal mine areas turned volatile following an anti-coalmine rally by a platform in presence of several activists from Calcutta. 

The police had filed two criminal cases against many such Calcutta based activists including Left-leaning economist Prasenjit Bose. Nine persons, including Bose, were arrested on February 20 following developments after the anti-coal mine rally. However, all the nine were given bail by the court on Tuesday.