BJP MLA from Kurseong demands separation from Bengal
Darjeeling: Bishnu Prasad Sharma, the BJP MLA from Kurseong, in a letter to BJP President JP Nadda has demanded separation "in any form" of the Hills from the state of West Bengal.
In the letter, Sharma has written that the BJP had promised redressal of the long pending demand of the Gorkhas in the BJP Sankalp Patra (election manifesto.) "The long pending demand of Gorkhas means separation in any form of our land from the state of West Bengal in appropriate political manner, taking in context the concerned historical and majoritarian political landscape."
He claimed that Gorkhas and other ethnic tribes of North Bengal have suffered at the hands of "State's internal colonial approach." "I am of the belief that the upcoming edition of talks that started on October 12 (tripartite talks) will be instrumental in achieving a system outside West Bengal government clutches…" stated the letter.
The letter goes on to remind Nadda of the other commitments that the BJP made in their election manifesto in the 2021 Assembly elections including construction of AIIMS in North Bengal; Exclusive Nepali Language television; Raise in the wages of tea garden workers; Inclusion of 11 Gorkha sub communities in the Scheduled tribe list and a Permanent Political Solution (PPS) to the Gorkha impasse. Incidentally all the commitments are yet to see the light of day.
Later talking to media persons, Sharma stated: "The separation of Bengal can be of any form. It can be a State, Union Territory with legislation or Union Territory without legislation. PPS means separation from Bengal." When questioned on the State BJPs stand of no support to the division of Bengal, Sharma stated: "We have written to our President in Delhi." "We have been seeing this type of mad man's behavior since long. In 2021 during elections, they got people from Delhi, attacked the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and did what not. The people of Bengal have seen it all. Bengal stands united. These types of demands have been raised in the past too and we have strongly stood up against them. Mamata Banerjee's aim is to protect the interest of the people of the state within the framework of a united Bengal," stated TMC leader Partha Chatterjee.
Immediately after being routed in the West Bengal Assembly elections this year, a section of BJP MPs and MLAs from North Bengal had raised the demand of a separate state of North Bengal comprising 8 districts. Sharma was also one of them. Meanwhile Gorkhaland Activist Samuha started a three day long dharna at the Jantar Mantar, Delhi demanding Gorkhaland from Sunday. A Statehood Demand Coordination Committee held a seminar on the Gorkhaland demand on Sunday.
