“Jai Hind, Jai India”, Bengal's response highlights national and regional unity – GetBengal story
Our Honourable Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee acted firmly to initiate preparedness, solidarity, and prudent administrative measures in the aftermath of India's successful military response against terror apparatus in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK). She has won accolades for her calm, visionary approach amid a critical geo-political crisis.
Calling for calm and national solidarity, Mamata placed West Bengal on high alert on May 7, aligning with a coordinated effort led by Union Home Minister Amit Shah during a virtual meeting with state leaders. The Chief Minister saluted the bravery of India’s armed forces with a “Jai Hind! Jai India!” post and emphasized unity across political and regional lines. “We will fight shoulder to shoulder against terror. There should not be differences among us on the issue,” she said.
She ordered the suspension of all government employee leaves and initiated mock drills in 11 districts. These exercises aim to ensure West Bengal is ready to respond effectively if any regional turbulence arises.
As summer holidays had already closed schools, Mamata appealed to private institutions to follow similar steps. Her government also activated round-the-clock disaster management control rooms, especially in North Bengal, a region sharing sensitive international borders with Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan.
West Bengal shares a 2,217-km border with Bangladesh—more than half of the total 4,096-km India-Bangladesh boundary. The long history of the state of cross-border economic and cultural exchange makes stability in this region key, not only for Bengal, but more generally for regional peace. Bangladesh, too, responded with maturity and diplomacy. In a statement, the Bangladeshi Foreign Ministry expressed “deep concern” while urging India and Pakistan to pursue peace through dialogue
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting chairperson Tarique Rahman’s message of peace underlined the shared regional aspiration for stability.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has also made a strong pitch for responsible media behaviour. She also urged to media channels to avoid provocative debates and unverified narratives.
She also instructed the agricultural marketing department to monitor markets and prevent commodity price hikes during this difficult period. In order to guarantee smooth coordination with central agencies, she instructed Chief Secretary Manoj Pant to act as the nodal officer.
Many people have praised Mamata Banerjee for her careful approach, which prioritizes the national interest while remaining grounded in Bengal's long history of sacrifice, patriotism, and communal harmony. In her words Bengal has always sacrificed for the nation and we have to be on alert since we share borders with other countries.
West Bengal's preparedness, Bangladesh's diplomatic language, and appeals for solidarity from every direction indicate a positive, mature South Asian response—centred on peace, security, and development.
