BJP MP John Barla demanded that North Bengal be made a separate state or union territory. The Lok Sabha member from Alipurduar will speak on this issue in the upcoming Badal session of Parliament, the sources said. At the same time, he claimed that he was not alone and that other MPs from North Bengal would also speak out in Parliament.
BJP has fulfilled all its promises in 2014 and 2019, Barla said. Triple Talaq has been abolished, and Kashmir has been made a UT, he added.
“I made the demand as there have been movements here for a separate Kamtapur, a greater Cooch Behar, and Gorkhaland. I believe that North Bengal should be detached and made into a separate Union Territory,” PTI quoted Barla as saying.
The party is not officially placing any claim to North Bengal as a separate state or union territory. But John Barla refused to back down from his statement.
Why is he claiming this? BJP MP directly blamed the state. He said, “BJP workers are being killed here. No development. There are 350 tea gardens. No development here either. MLAs or MPs can’t do anything.”
Barla also spoke about the internal security of the country. Barla said, “Bangladeshis are entering the area, Rohingyas are also intruding. The police are not taking any action. North Bengal is a very sensitive area. Security is in question.”
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has already opened her mouth on this issue. She is vocal against the division of Bengal. But the BJP MP refused to recant.
Mamata Banerjee reiterated that the formation of a Union Territory would take away people’s rights as it denies them the benefits of statehood. “I will not allow anyone to divide Bengal. UT means being at the mercy of New Delhi and losing all freedom. But I will not allow North Bengal or any other part of Bengal to lose its freedom and become dependent on New Delhi,” she said.
Barla claims that other BJP MPs from North Bengal are with him and that they will also raise their demand, he said.
Congress leader Sourav Chakraborty said “BJP keeps talking like this: Darjeeling will be a separate state. The people of Bengal are with the Chief Minister. All this will never happen.”
Alipurduar District BJP president Ganga Prasad Sharma said that the BJP wants development in North Bengal and that the party is against the division. “I don’t know what the MP (Barla) said. If he says something on his own, the party will not take responsibility,” he said.