West Bengal "long back" communicated to the Union government the preparations made to welcome back people stranded abroad, the state said on Friday, replying to the Centre's assertion that repatriation flights can be facilitated to Kolkata if Bengal confirms the arrangements to receive and quarantine passengers.
Indians stranded in various countries due to COVID-19-related restrictions are being brought back in special flights under the Centre's Vande Bharat Mission.
"GOWB (government of West Bengal) keen to welcome back our people stranded in different countries and has long back communicated its agreement as well as quarantine arrangements details etc. to GoI for special international inbound journeys. Letters attached. Bengal awaits flights," the West Bengal home department tweeted.
It also shared the two letters written by West Bengal Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha to Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on May 8 and 11. The letters mention the details regarding preparations for institutional quarantine facilities for foreign returnees.
On Thursday, the state and the Centre had locked horns over West Bengal not being allotted any repatriation flight.
West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee had alleged that the Centre was discriminating between states in terms of allotting repatriation flights under the Vande Bharat Mission.
The charge was denied by the MEA within a few hours with its spokesperson, Anurag Srivastava, tweeting, "The MEA does not discriminate between states. GOI's Vande Bharat Mission is for all stranded Indians, including those from West Bengal."