Hill parties shunned growth: Abhishek

TT, Jalpaiguri, July 7: Trinamul MP Abhishek Banerjee today trained gun at top leaders of hill parties and said they had shunned the development process initiated by chief minister Mamata Banerjee and instead created unrest in the region.

Abhishek, the president of the youth wing of Trinamul, who was in Dhupguri for a meeting organised by the organisation, said: "Mamata Banerjee had clearly told Bimal Gurung, Roshan Giri and Harka Bahadur Chhetri that she would extensively carry out development across the hills. She had promised that all demands with regard to infrastructure, right from education sector to health and communication, would be met. But she had simultaneously made it clear that the hills would continue be part of Bengal."

These leaders, he alleged, have shun development now.

"The development process was initiated in the hills and the chief minister had wanted that all these leaders should be on board and work together for this purpose. These people have, however, shunned development and have instead, indulged in activities which have led to tension in the hills. I would, however, like to reiterate that they can never separate the hills from our state."

Abhishek also passed an alert to the hill parties. "We would ask them to stop from hatching further plots. They are getting support from some other political parties but the intentions of these forces have got exposed and people no longer stand in support of them," he said.

At the meeting, held in the local football ground, Youth Trinamul workers and supporters of Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar were present. It was a part of the preparations to boost party workers and supporters ahead of the July 21 meeting that the party will hold in Calcutta, leaders said.

In his 30-minutes' speech, Mamata's nephew also asked party leaders and ministers to "recognise the contribution of common party workers and felicitate them".

"As leaders and ministers, you have been felicitated for several times. But to continue the struggle, you should recognise and honour booth level workers and felicitate them. They are the foundations of our party. You should walk together with them to ensure that our political contenders, who are joining hands, are defeated in the upcoming elections," Abhishek said, addressing the leaders and state ministers.