Amid demands by a section of Bharatiya Janata Party leaders for “bifurcation” of North Bengal districts into union territories, the ruling Trinamool Congress is set to move a resolution on August 5 against alleged efforts to divide the state, a minister said.
The development comes a day after Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee lambasted the saffron camp on the floor of the assembly over the demands regarding creation of a union territory comprising two districts of Bengal and some in Bihar, and making North Bengal a part of the northeast.
The decision to move a resolution was taken at a Business Advisory (BA) Committee meeting this afternoon.
“It has been decided that on August 5 we will move a resolution condemning any efforts to split West Bengal. If the BJP MLAs are against the division, let them come forward and categorically state they are opposed to any such attempt,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay said.
The West Bengal assembly had in February last year passed a similar resolution through voice vote against attempts to divide the state.
Reacting to the decision, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, said the BJP has always been opposed to any division of the state.
However, he claimed the ruling party has been discriminating against North Bengal in terms of economic development.
“We are against any division of Bengal. But, the BJP is worried about the fast-changing demography of several parts of the state,” he said.
After Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar proposed the inclusion of northern West Bengal under the Ministry of DoNER (Development of North Eastern Region), fresh demands for a separate state of Cooch Behar were raised by party MP Ananta Maharaj.
Several BJP leaders have openly demanded the inclusion of some districts of North Bengal into the list of union territories.
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