Didi extends unconditional support to PM on Ukraine crisis

Kolkata: Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to call an all-party meeting to “consolidate” India’s “national resolve" to "come out of the crisis.”

Mamata who offered her unconditional support on his Government’s stand on the Ukraine issue said that the whole country stood united on the issue of quick evacuation of the Indian students stranded in thewar-torn country.

“I would request you to accept my unconditional support during the ongoing international crisis and to consider whether you will like to have an all party meeting now for consolidating our national resolveto come out of the crisis with our head held high,” Banerjee wrote.

Banerjee who has often been highly critical of the Prime Minister also wrote that in this hour of crisis she wanted to keep aside all the “domestic disagreements.”

She said “In times of grave international crisis we keep aside our domestic disagreements to stand united as anation. We do this to make sure that our



dignity as a nation is unchallenged and unviolated. We do this to ensure that the principles on which we conduct our foreign affairs continue to be stable in the global arena.”

As the world’s largest democracy India should take the lead to workout peaceful solution to the crisis, Banerjee reminded. “I reiterate our adherence to this long-standing norm of our polity during thecurrent international crisis of the Ukraine War,” her letter read.

Saying that though there were concerns raised on India’s “general stand on the war,” she wrote, “I am sure that in steering our diplomatic affairs during the current crisis you will lead us on the basis of those abiding principles.”

The Chief Minister had earlier created a dedicated team of officials led by a senior IAS officer to coordinate on the evacuation of students from Bengal who were currently held up in Ukraine. The State Government was among the first to start a helpline to assist the students and their families with information and other helps.