Teesta pact with Dhaka virtually off

Sep 06, 2011 - PARUL CHANDRA |

Age Correspondent

New Delhi

The much-awaited Teesta water sharing agreement between India and Bangladesh, due to be signed between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Bangladesh’s Sheikh Hasina Wajed during Dr Singh’s landmark Dhaka visit beginning on Tuesday, is virtually off.

It ran into trouble after West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced Sunday that she would not go to Dhaka as a member of the PM’s delegation. While not saying so explicitly, Ms Banerjee is said to be angry over a draft agreement that she felt went against the interests of North Bengal.
New Delhi clearly indicated Monday no agreement would be signed in the face of West Bengal’s opposition. Briefing reporters on the PM’s visit, foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai said: “Nothing will be done without consultation with the state government. Any agreement will have to be acceptable to the state government.”
In a bid to persuade Ms Banerjee to change her mind, the PM tried to speak to Ms Banerjee on Sunday to address her concerns, top government sources said, but Ms Banerjee was “not available” and the Prime Minister couldn’t speak to her.
A miffed Ms Banerjee returned the Prime Minister’s call only on Monday to “wish him success”. The sources admitted that no change in her stand was expected.

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