WB chief minister ask union govt to solve Bhutan's problem
New Delhi, June 10: As the pressure on India increases for its involvement in solving the nearly two decade long issue of Bhutanese citizens expelled by the Bhutanese regime, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee held an conversation with union minister for foreign minister Pranav Mukherjee.
On Saturday evening, the meeting was at Bhattacharjee's residence in south Kolkata where the chief minister sough support from the union government to sort out the problem.
Indian reports say, Bhattacharjee denied disclosing the subject mattes of the conversation but union minister Mukherjee said the talks was on the issue of exiled Bhutanese who have been making efforts for repatriation to their homeland.
"Nepal claims that these are not Nepalese citizens and Bhutan is also not ready to accept them. They want to enter Bhutan and they want to pass through Indian territory," Mukherjee is quoted.
"Bhattacharjee told me that it was creating serious problems in the law and order situation in Bengal and it was unacceptable to the state government," Mukherjee added.
"The Bengal chief minister has urged me to initiate a dialogue with these two countries. We are in friendly terms with both countries. The issue of exiled Bhutanese cropped up 11 years ago and as far as I know there are about 100,000 (exiled Bhutanese) in the camps," the union minister said.
He further said, "The population of Bhutan is about 600,000. If these 100,000 people enter Bhutan it would create a demographic imbalance."
The government of India is trying to work out a solution, said Mukherjee adding: "It is an international problem." Bhutan News Service