Centre tells Bengal to open B’desh border, cites international commitments

The Centre on Wednesday came down heavily on the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal for not allowing movement of goods traffic through border crossings between India and Bangladesh that could jeopardize India’s international commitments to the neighbouring country.

In a scathing letter to West Bengal chief secretary Rajiva Sinha, union home secretary Ajay Bhalla stated that “the unilateral action on the part of government of West Bengal to stop the cross land border movement of essential goods would have larger implications for the Indian government with regard to its legally binding international commitments.”

Bhalla told that by doing so, West Bengal was not just violating the ministry of home affairs’ orders under Disaster Management Act including the guidelines but also Articles 253, 256 and 257 of the Constitution of India. Article 253 of the Constitution deals with the legislation for giving effect to international agreements while articles 256 and 257 give powers to the Centre for issuing directions to the state that are obligatory for latter.

“It has been reported that goods traffic through border crossings between India and Bangladesh, falling in West Bengal, has still not resumed. As a result, a large number of trucks carrying essential supplies, bound for Bangladesh, are stranded at different border crossing points,” the home secretary wrote in his letter.

“A number of drivers of such vehicles, while returning from Bangladesh, have also not been allowed to cross the border, and are stranded in Bangladesh,” Bhalla added.

He reminded the state government of lockdown measures issued on May 1 according to which no state/union territory shall stop movement of cargo for cross-border land trade under treaties with neighbouring countries.

He directed the Bengal chief secretary to allow access land border transportation through all Indo-Bangladesh borders “without any further delay” and send the compliance report by Wednesday.

During a meeting between cabinet secretary Rajeev Gauba and the states last month, West Bengal home secretary Alapan Bandopadhyay claimed that everything was under control in his state till Bhalla reminded him of hundreds of loaded trucks stuck at the Indo-Bangladesh border in West Bengal that need to be unloaded for Bangladesh.

The state had argued that there is an issue about mingling of workers who handle goods from both sides. Bhalla reminded the state that the trucks contain essential supplies for Bangladesh and they cannot remain stranded in such a way.