War protest 145;official146;: CM skips UK mission function

A seven-member British delegation is here to take part in the three-day workshop aimed at contributing British expertise to developing the waterfront alongside river Hooghly. British Deputy High Commissioner in Kolkata Andrew Hall, along with other mission officials, were present.

Also present was Kolkata Mayor Subrata Mukherjee, who criticised the CM8217;s decision to keep away from the workshop. 8216;8216;On the one hand you take money from them and on the other hand you boycott them. This is double game,8217;8217; the Mayor said.

Ashok Bhattacharya, who was also in town like the CM, said that their absence had nothing to do with the war in Iraq. 8216;8216;We are against what the UK is doing in Iraq. But our absence was not a protest against this. I had other engagements and so I did not go,8217;8217; Bhattacharya said.