Centre 'barred' Australian diplomat from meeting Bengal ministers, claims TMC

Kolkata, NT Bureau: The Trinamool Congress on Wednesday claimed that the Australian Deputy High Commissioner was recommended against meeting three West Bengal ministers and accused the Centre of creating hindrance in the state getting foreign investment.

TMC Rajya Sabha member Saket Gokhale said the Oceania division of Ministry of External Affairs recommended against Deputy High Commissioner Nicholas McCaffrey meeting West Bengal Industry and Commerce Minister Shashi Panja, IT Minister Babul Supriyo, and Agriculture Minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay.

"The government of West Bengal received communication from the Australian High Commission that the Deputy High Commissioner would be visiting the state and he had sought meetings with three ministers. Following this, there was a communication from the MEA's Oceania division handling the Oceania region that the ministry does not recommend that the Australian Deputy High Commissioner meet the three state ministers," he said.

According to PTI sources, while a 'no objection' was given to the Australian Deputy High Commissioner to meet Dilip Ghosh, Sukanta Majumdar, Derek O'Brien, and Jawhar Sircar, they recommended against meeting the state ministers.

"The question here is very simple. What problem does the NDA government have if a diplomat representing his country in India has a meeting with cabinet ministers in one of the states of India?" Gokhale asked.

Gokhale described the development as "federal terrorism" while alleging that several diplomats have claimed that they were informally told by the union government that they could get clearance for investments only if they choose Gujarat.

Fellow Rajya Sabha member of the party Sagarika Ghose said Banerjee has been stopped thrice from visiting abroad.

"Mamata Banerjee was stopped three times from travelling abroad. This is a fundamental assault on federal structure. The mandate is not for autocracy anymore..." she said.