Kolkata, Dec 2 (UNI) West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday expressed concern over the current political situation in Bangladesh and urged the Union Government's initiative for deployment of United Nations' peacekeeping force in troubled Bangladesh.

" We cannot say anything on Bangladesh affairs but our stand has been

clarified that whatever the Centre decides on Bangladesh we are with

New Delhi," Banerjee said in the West Bengal assembly adding,"We can

accomodate people if anyone one to come and share out food together."

She also said if the situation demanded the state assembly could send

a proposal to the Centre for the deployment of an international

peacekeeping mission to restore normalcy and called on Prime Minister

Narendra Modi to take action to rescue and rehabilitate persecuted

Indians from Bangladesh.

Banerjee also sought the Indian External Affairs Minister make a

statement in Parliament during the session on India’s stance regarding

the situation in Bangladesh. "If the Prime Minister is unavailable to

address this issue, the External Affairs Minister could make a

statement of the country's stance on the Bangladesh situation."

The chief minister said they have no jurisdiction over the bilateral

matters of the neighbouring country, but the recent political

developments forced her to seek New Delhi's initiative so that people

like ISKCON and other communities can live peacefully from danger.

She said she already phoned the ISKCON officials in Kolkata after the

arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das and other ISKCON monks in Bangladesh.

She said India should ask the UN to send its peacekeeping force to

restore peace there. "We do not want any religious confrontation and

everyone should live in peace and freedom to preach their respective

faith," Banerjee said.

Expressing concern she said if the current situation continues in

Bangladesh then our people must return safely and if necessary share a

meal a day.

" We do not want our people to be tortured there," Banerjee

added.

UNI PC KK