After lecture at Oxford University, UK tour, Mamata returns to Kolkata

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday evening returned to the city after her eight-day tour of the UK where she addressed a business meet and delivered a lecture at Kellogg College under Oxford University.

Banerjee had left the state on March 22.

Her flight landed at N S C Bose International Airport here this evening, and activists of the TMC's youth wing welcomed her.

During her address at Kellogg College on March 27, Banerjee pointed out West Bengal's diversity, emphasising that people in the state celebrate all festivals together without discrimination.

"We have about 11 crore people in our state -- almost like a big country. Our beauty lies in the fact that more than 33 per cent of our people belong to minority communities, including Muslims, Christians, Buddhists and Gorkhas. Around 6 per cent are tribals, and 23 per cent belong to Scheduled Castes. People of every caste, creed, and religion love each other," she said.

Protestors, allegedly by Left-leaning youths, had disrupted Banerjee’s speech on social development and women’s empowerment at Kellogg College.

Midway through Banerjee’s speech, a section of the audience, who had come with posters, tried to interrupt her address by questioning her on a range of issues, from the RG Kar hospital medic’s rape and murder to the flight of capital from the state, including the Tata Motors’ exit from Singur.

A composed Banerjee tried to placate the protestors by offering to send them “chocolates” and wishing them a “good night’s sleep over their agendas”.

She announced that such resistance has only encouraged her more and strengthened her resolve.

At an interactive session on 'opportunities in West Bengal,' Banerjee said the industries can help the state in green technologies, smart infrastructure and clean energy sectors.

She also highlighted Bengal's MSME growth and advocated for direct flights between Kolkata and the UK.

This was Banerjee's second visit to the UK as chief minister, the first one being in November 2017.