TMC neta lodges complaint against BJP MPs demanding separate statehood in Bengal

TMC Youth Wing President from Alipurduar District Prasenjit Kar lodged a complaint against BJP MPs John Barla and Saumitra Khan for their statements demanding separate states for North Bengal and Jangalmahal in West Bengal.

BJP MP John Barla during a party meeting in Cooch Bihar demanded separate state or union territory for North Bengal. He said, "I want to see North Bengal as a separate state. I will appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi in this regard. People want peace. Everyone is being attacked. Where will people go?"

BJP MP Saumitra Khan from Bishnupur also put forward the same kind of demands. He asked for a separate state for the Rarh region of West Bengal that comprises - Burdwan, Asansol, Bankura, Purulia, Bishnupur, Birbhum, Jhargram, Purba and Paschim Medinipur and parts of Hoogly. 

Khan said, "West Bengal Chief calls Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah bohiragoto (outsider). Why will not people of Jangalamahal call her the same? Jangalmahal and Rarh region have barely witnessed any development over the years. That is why we have raised the demand (of separate statehood)."

West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh, reacting to the development has claimed that statements of his party MPs have been misinterpreted. He said that the leaders of West Bengal BJP have raised the concern for the prevalent issues in North Bengal and Jangalmahal and no one has in the course asked for partition of the state. He further said that MP John Barla and Saumitra Khan are the representatives of the people in the concerned areas and they only spoke on behalf of the local people's misery.

North Bengal fighting against Gorkhaland transformation

People in North Bengal mainly consist of people who have their origin in Nepal. The people leaving in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Kurseong, and other hilly districts are also mainly Nepali-speaking residents who differ from the Bengali culture. The demand for creating a separate state for the North Bengal region has surfaced long back even before independence based on the difference in culture, ethnicity, and language. 

The persistent Gorkhaland demand has also seen bloodshed and 'bandhs'. The incumbent leader of West Bengal for three terms also witnessed hatred after the Government mandatory Bengali language in educational institutions of Darjeeling. North Bengal has been a zone of conflict for Mamata Banerjee, as the main leader of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) opposed the leader in all terms. Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) also supported the BJP for fifteen years, until the 2021 Assembly Election. In a major flip, Bimal Gurung supported West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and said that the primary reason for his support is to TMC was the 'betrayal by the BJP'. He said that Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) supported the saffron party for 15 years but Amit Shah and PM Modi failed to fulfill their promises. He also mentioned that BJP does not have people's support in Bengal. The party has very little influence on ground zero. 

Inputs with ANI, Image Source- @JohnBarlaBJP/Twitter/ANI