New Delhi, Sep 6: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's “sudden” decision to pull out of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's delegation to Bangladesh has “tarnished” the country's image internationally, the CPI-M today said.
“Her sudden decision not to join the Prime Minister to go to Bangladesh one day before the visit has not only brought embarrassment to our country but also tarnished its image in the international arena,” party leader Sitaram Yechury told reporters here.
He, however, said the issue of Teesta river water sharing, on which Banerjee raised objections, was “serious and very important” but did not go into its details.
Banerjee pulled out of the tour to oppose a proposal for signing a Teesta water-sharing agreement which was called off by the government following her protest.
Maintaining that CPI-M's objection was to the manner in which the chief minister decided not to go to Bangladesh, he said, “Such major international agreements are not drafted overnight. She could have raised her objections much earlier.
“After all, they (Trinamool Congress) are members of the Union Cabinet which must have discussed the issue. So, her decision not to go is unjustified, particularly when India-Bangladesh relations are very positive,” Yechury said. PTI
