Ahead of elections in West Bengal, political tensions have risen over the issue of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s stay in India. Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Friday sharply criticized the Narendra Modi government, asking why Hasina has been sheltered in Delhi for the past one and a half years and whether any major industrial interest is behind this decision.

Banerjee suggested that Hasina’s stay in India may not be solely for diplomatic reasons but could involve deeper economic considerations. He questioned whether the Modi government’s decision was influenced by the interests of major business groups such as Adani or Ambani. According to him, India’s involvement in Bangladesh’s internal politics and the use of Hasina as a political shield may be linked to corporate motives.

The controversy follows Hasina’s flight to India after a student-led uprising in Bangladesh. Although the Indian government initially described her stay as temporary and humanitarian, the prolonged duration has sparked domestic debate, which Banerjee has used to criticize the government’s “Neighbourhood First” policy.