Mamata Banerjee said on Friday the nation’s honour had been “thrown to the dust”, alluding to reports of Japan’s Prime Minister and two Bangladesh ministers cancelling India visits in the wake of the CAB’s passage and the protests.

Mamata said reports of Japan Premier Shinzo Abe reconsidering his India visit were a matter of “shame”. “We are hearing the honourable Prime Minister of Japan is now thinking of cancelling his visit to India. The country’s honour has been thrown to the dust. Where does the nation’s prestige stand? It is a matter of shame for our country.”

The Trinamul chief underscored the severity of the situation in Assam. “In Assam, what torture, what fire rages there…. Alarming. I am not saying much because I don’t want to foment tension.”

Mamata contended that relations with Bangladesh were taking a hit. “Where has the relationship with Bangladesh gone? You tell us, since the Muktijuddho, since 1971, our relations had been great. (Bangladesh Prime Minister) Sheikh Hasina is not communal, she is the daughter of Bangabandhu (Sheikh Mujibur Rahman). We love her…. They, too, are forced to worry. They are also cancelling programmes. This has never happened before.”