Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Bangladesh would have been really effective if the controversy over the Teesta pact has not been raised by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who refused to join the team which went to Dhaka. She argued that the pact gave more water to Bangladesh than she had agreed. That would hurt the interest of North Bengal, she said. The UPA government did not wish to antagonise ally Trinamul with 19 MPs and put to pact on hold. As a result, the India-Bangladesh treaty has foundered. If it was signed, connectivity and prosperity in the region would have improved and bilateral relations strengthened. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expects it to be a temporary break. Foreign Secretary Mizarul Kayee has asked the Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka for an explanation.
It may be argued that in view of the economic and strategic significance of the trip, the UPA government and the Trinamul should have avoided the discord. There are more important issues on the agenda-transit access to the Northeast, facilitation of easy movement of goods and people, trade integration and investment flows. All this has been stymied by a disagreement over a few cusecs of water. Mamata Banerjee has once again shown her obsession with West Bengal and indifference to big picture diplomacy serving the national interest. The Centre has also bungled. Of course, other Chief Ministers were equally preoccupied with their home turf. There was no broad consensus. The Centre has to explain why it had not sorted out differences over Teesta water much ahead of the Bangladesh visit. Mamata Banerjee should now make up for the fiasco by promoting economic and cultural cooperation with Bangladesh. And the Centre should learn the guiding principles of federalism.
