Ready to receive people stranded abroad: WB govt

The West Bengal government, on Friday, said that it has informed the Centre long back about its arrangements for receiving people stranded abroad.

West Bengal’s Home Department tweeted that it has informed the Centre long ago about its consent and preparation for bringing back its people.

The development comes a day after an exchange of tweets by West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee and spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Anurag Srivastava over the issue.

“GOWB keen to welcome back our people stranded in different countries and has long back communicated its agreement as well as quarantine arrangements details etc to GOI for special international inbound journeys. Letters attached. Bengal awaits flights (sic),” tweeted the Home Department.

It also attached two letters by Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha to the Centre dated May 8 and May 11 regarding the West Bengal government’s willingness and arrangements for receiving the stranded people.

The Education Minister, in a tweet on Thursday, asked whether MEA wants them to believe that there are enough people seeking to come from Georgia to Gujarat and not to Kolkata.

“Is the MEA asking us to believe that there are enough people to come from Georgia to Gujrat but none want to come to Kolkata? Also, there are enough people to come back to Bihar from Kyrgyzstan but not enough to bring back to Bengal?? Stop this injustice!! (sic)” tweeted Chatterjee.

Within hours after Chatterjee’s tweet, Srivastava tweeted that the MEA does not discriminate between states adding that the Centre’s Vande Bharat Mission is for all “stranded Indians”.

“MEA does not discriminate between states. GOI’s Vande Bharat Mission is for all stranded Indians, including those from West Bengal. Over 3700 of them have registered for repatriation from different parts of the world,” tweeted Srivastava.

“Will gladly facilitate flights to Kolkata if the state government will confirm arrangements to receive and quarantine. Will also help in return of WB residents through land borders with neighbors. We hope to receive an early response on the matter (sic),” he stated in another tweet.

Later in the day, the MEA spokesperson stated in a tweet that he welcomes the West Bengal Bengal Government's "willingness" to accept returnees from abroad.

"Welcome willingness of GOWB to accept returnees from abroad, who are from West Bengal. Request early confirmation of modalities to be followed upon arrival of passengers at Kolkata Airport. @MoCA @HomeSecretaryWB, " tweeted Srivastava.