Darjeeling: BJP Bengal state President Dilip Ghosh on a tour of North Bengal has come out in support of a separate state of North Bengal and Jangal Mahal.
On a tour of North Bengal to attend "Sahid Samman Yatra," Ghosh on Saturday addressed the press from the BJP party office located at the DBC Road in Jalpaiguri. Flanked by Alipurduar MP and Union minister John Barla, Ghosh supported the demand of separate state of North Bengal.
Earlier Barla had raised the demand for a separate state of North Bengal. Ghosh had then stated that it was Barla's personal opinion and that it is not the BJP party's agenda.
"It is the stand of the party and the party will decide," stated Ghosh on Saturday, when confronted with the separate state of North Bengal issue. He further stated that it is a justified demand and Barla who has been voted to power is doing his job by voicing the demands of the electors.
"Underdevelopment and lack of employment in North Bengal and Jangal Mahal have forced people to raise such demands. When Mamata Banerjee sides with pro-Gorkhaland forces and keeps the demand alive it is not a problem but when we raise people's demands we are dubbed separatists," claimed Ghosh.