Mamata Banerjee rules out division of Bengal

Ruling out division of Bengal, chief minister Manata Banerjee said on  Saturday said, ‘Darjeeling is part and parcel of West Bengal. Darjeeling is my heart. There can be no division of the state based on race.’ 

Armed with a Calcutta high court order to maintain normalcy in Darjeeling hills, Banerje  gave a 72-hour deadline to the GJM to call off its indefinite bandh or else face action.

'Enough is enough. I have tolerated for eight days. I am giving 72 hours to withdraw the bandh. Do not force me to take strong action,' said  Banerjee.

Claiming that the GJM had become unpopular in the hills for forcibly enforcing the bandh which was leading to harassment and hardship to the people there, she cited the high court order to ensure normal life in Darjeeling. 'I have some constitutional obligations. There is a high court order and also a Supreme Court order on bandhs,' said the chief minister.

Asked whether her government would hold talks with the GJM, she said, 'There is no difficulty in holding talks if they withdraw the bandh. They can approach the chief secretary and the home secretary,’ said Banerjee.

The chief minister said that in the light of the high court order on shut downs she was declaring the bandh as illegal and unconstitutional. 

On the snapping of telecast by three TV channels in Darjeeling for not having documents, she said that they could be back on air if they provided the papers on Monday.