Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said she was “deeply shocked” by the Ladakh clash that claimed the lives of at least 20 Indian soldiers and it was for the Union government to decide on the course of action to be taken with regard to China.

“I heard that 20 of our brothers died. Including two from Bengal. Those who died, for them, we convey our condolences to the bereaved. It is very unfortunate and sad. We are really pained by this incident…. We are deeply shocked. I have no words to console the families,” the chief minister said at a news conference in Nabanna, the state secretariat in Howrah.

“There were two of our brothers from Bengal also (in the 20)…. We might not be able to do much, but we will do our best to stand by the families. For anything they might need,” she added.

Earlier on Wednesday, she had tweeted an announcement of compensation and state government jobs for the next of kin of the two martyrs.

Mamata made it clear that she was on the same page with the Narendra Modi government over the course of action to be taken regarding China, asserting that the Trinamul Congress had always believed in standing by the Centre in the face of external aggression.

“There are two sides to this. There is war, and there is negotiation through diplomatic channels. What channel will be useful, let the Centre decide,” she said.

“This is our motherland…. We want progress for our nation. We do not want anybody to hurt our nation, attack our nation. If somebody does so, we will not sit quietly. If there is external aggression,” she added.

Mamata also made it clear that she never said anything on external affairs because Trinamul’s ideology and philosophy from the beginning had been that the party would stand by the nation and its decisions on such matters. “No separate comment,” she said.

Asked about the all-party meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened on the China issue, the Trinamul chief said it was the correct approach. “All-party meeting is alright… there is no problem. Practically or technically, it is not wrong,” she said.

“We are proud of our nation. We have to fight together. If there is any challenge thrown at us from an enemy, we have to fight as one. That is what I believe,” Mamata added.

She appeared to play down the exclusion of her name from the list of speakers at Modi’s meeting with chief ministers on Wednesday.

“They conducted big meetings there. I conducted small meetings at the grassroots, here. Their meetings are on big things. My meetings here are to look into the needs of the people at the grassroots — how they can get good treatment, how Covid-19 can be better managed, how everyone can be involved more for the work,” she said.

“Because there is one meeting at one place it does not mean there cannot be another meeting elsewhere. I did not waste my time (by attending it as a non-speaker). I worked with the same purpose, for the grassroots. I think this is much bigger work. A few there that met — they are all heads of state administrations — what we did here was with Covid warriors, the frontliners,” Mamata added.

Asked once again about the exclusion, the chief minister sounded displeased.

“Why do you think of Bengal as so weak? The people of Bengal walk with pride, with their heads held high. Attending one meeting or not, will that determine Bengal’s future? Bengal will always remain fearless,” she said.

“Maybe they did not feel the need for it, that’s why they didn’t call us. There is no need to pick a fight over that. I think prioritising work for the people is of foremost importance,” she added. “Bengal didn’t get called, so what? It could well be that one day, Bengal will call everyone. What Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow.”