‘Proposal to include North Bengal with North East an eyewash’
Darjeeling/ Cooch Behar: BJP state president and Union State Minister for Development of North East Region Sukanta Majundar’s statement regarding including “North Bengal in North East” has been dubbed as an eyewash and damage control by different political camps. Labelling it as a mere ‘play of words’, questions have been raised as to how a part of a state can be included in the North Eastern Council. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) camp has stated that he is trying to indirectly fan the separate state fire.
Majumdar on Wednesday stated that he had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the proposal of inclusion of North Bengal in North East based on similarities of the two regions. “If North Bengal is included in the North East by staying a part of Bengal, the region will receive more Central funds thereby ensuring development. We hope the West Bengal Government will not object to this and will cooperate,” stated Majumdar.
Vishnu Prasad Sharma, BJP MLA from Kurseong was the first to react. “If the region would be bifurcated into a separate state and joined the North East Council, we would be happy. However, Sukanta Majumdar is talking of North Bengal joining North East by staying an integral part of Bengal which is not possible. It is an utopian idea. It can never be possible. We are not looking for development, we want separation from Bengal.”
He stated that if it was just the issue of development then the Bengal government can do it with the support of the Union government. Even BJP ally Gorkha Janmukti Morcha ruled out part of a state joining the North East Council but feels that bifurcation could be on the anvil. “There is no such provision of part of a state joining the Council. Without the consent of the BJP top brass, Majumdar would not have made such a statement. The Centre is sending a bifurcation feeler. If the words are genuine, then separation from Bengal is inevitable,” remarked Kishore Bharati, spokesperson, GJM.
“Many BJP leaders dream of becoming Chief Minister of Bengal. Despite elections passing by, this dream remains unfulfilled. Majumdar as state minister for North East Development is trying to incorporate this region so that he gets an upper hand. If the truly believes that North Bengal is backward, he could have got a special package in the Budget on the lines of Bihar and Andhra Pradesh. The Union government could have given directions under which heads to spend the special assistance. Instead of this he is just trying to prop the separate state demand. He should stop indulging in such conspiracies,” stated Udayan Guha, TMC leader and North Bengal Development minister.
“They gave no money to North Bengal in the budget despite the Teesta flash flood; tea industry in doldrums. For 15 years they just extracted votes and gave nothing to this region. This is nothing but damage control by the BJP,” stated Anit Thapa,
president BGPM.
“This is nothing but eyewash. BJP is just interested in getting votes from North Bengal. Despite having 6 out of 8 MPs in North Bengal, they gave nothing to this region in the Budget,” added Ajoy Edwards, president, Hamro Party.
