Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien on Saturday wrote to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar seeking censure of Suvendu Adhikari, West Bengal’s leader of the Opposition, for his “derogatory” post on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s meeting with Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe at Dubai airport. In a letter, O’Brien wrote that the Adhikari had “ridiculed” the interaction between Banerjee and Wickramsinghe, adding that the ruling TMC condemned the BJP leader’s “irresponsible statements that refer discourteously to a friendly neighbouring country”. “On 13 September, 2023, Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of Opposition, West Bengal Legislative Assembly, released a post on X (Twitter) ridiculing the interaction between West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee and His Excellency The President of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickramsinghe. At a subsequent interaction with journalists, Suvendu Adhikari made derogatory comments on the Sri Lankan economy. I am enclosing his post on X (Twitter) for your ready reference. The year 2023 marks 75th year of India-Sri Lanka diplomatic relations and is also the bicentenary of the Tamil community of Indian origin in Sri Lanka. Suvendu Adhikari’s statements undermine the collective efforts of diplomats, economists, investors and the friendly people of both countries,” wrote O’Brien. On September 13, Adkhikari posted on X (formerly Twitter) an imaginary conversation between the two. “I am guessing what conversation might have taken place between the two:- Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe -I have heard that you are leading your state towards an economic crisis like what Sri Lanka is facing? Mamata Banerjee - If you can guide me how to borrow more money from the market, I will invite you to attend the next Bengal Global Business Summit. Ranil Wickremesinghe - But we are not in a position to invest? What good would happen by attending the Summit? Mamata Banerjee - Don’t worry, you just come and enjoy for 2-3 days and sign an MOU. Anyways everyone comes and signs MOU and nobody invests. I am just concerned about good headlines,” he wrote. The chief minister had met the Sri Lankan president during a stopover at Dubai airport on her way to Spain. On Adhikari’s post, the TMC leader wrote, “We strongly condemn Adhikari’s irresponsible statements that refer discourteously to a friendly neighbouring country. These comments are an attempt to create an atmosphere of discord that goes against the spirit of cooperation and development. Such comments, made by a political representative, do not align with the values of diplomacy, respect, and responsible governance that our nation upholds.” O’Brien further wrote that Adhikari’s comments on the West Bengal economy were totally inaccurate and a narrow-minded deliberate attempt to tarnish the state’s “emergence as an attractive FDI destination”. “The Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari has grossly misused his position as an MLA to try and maliciously hinder the economic cooperation between the Government of West Bengal and the Government of Sri Lanka. The Bengal Global Business Summit 2023 is scheduled on 21- 22 November, 2023. Sri Lanka is among the nations that have been invited,” he wrote. The TMC has demanded immediate intervention in the matter. “The All India Trinamool Congress demands that the Ministry of External Affairs intervene immediately and censure Mr. Adhikari for attempting to damage relations between the State of West Bengal and the Republic of Sri Lanka..” O’Brien wrote. “We also demand that urgent steps be taken by the MEA to ensure that diplomatic and business relations of the State of West Bengal as well as the Republic of India with foreign countries are not hindered and wrecked by MLAs like Mr. Adhikari purely with the malicious intent of scoring political brownie points,” wrote the Rajya Sabha member.
