Trinamool adheres to government policy on Teesta, says Mamata

Kolkata – Notwithstanding her party’s opposition to the land boundary agreement and Teesta water sharing pact with Bangladesh, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Wednesday that the state’s ruling Trinamool Congress adheres to the central government’s external affairs policy on the issue.

“When we go abroad then the country is my priority…When I go abroad, I can’t say only my party views. I have to express my views in favour of my country…this is the ! protocol… many people ask me what is our external (affairs) policy? government policy is party policy,” she said.

“The country’s interest is more than party policy in certain areas,” Banerjee said speaking on day one of the three-day closing session of the 75th anniversary of the state assembly.

Banerjee’s claim, however, is quite contradictory to her party’s stand on the two crucial issues affecting Indo-Bangladesh relations.

She had earlier virtually ruled out accepting the proposed land boundary agreement with Bangladesh in the present form under which 162 adversely held enclaves are to be exchanged between the two countries.

The Teesta water sharing pact has been put on hold after the Trinamool’s strong opposition, over fears that the treaty could spell disaster for northern West Bengal.

In September last year, Banerjee embarrassed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh by
pulling out of a PM-led delegation to Bangladesh over the water sha! ring agreement, forcing India to drop it from the agenda.