Keep off Bengal affairs: Deb to Chamling

SNS, SILIGURI, 27 JULY 2017: Tourism minister Gautam Deb today said that Sikkim, being a neighbouring state, should stay away from' interfering in West Bengal's 'internal' issues.'

Deb was replying to questions on the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling in New Delhi yesterday, where Chamling sought the intervention of the Centre in finding a permanent solution to the unrest in the Darjeeling Hills.

Chamling also sought deployment of central para-military forces in important places like New Jalpaiguri, Siliguri and other important points up to Rongpo, the Bengal-Sikkim border.

"Being a neighbouring state, they should not interfere in the internal matters of another state. Such move is unexpected and uncalled for. There should not be unnecessary interference and they should act according to the Indian Constitution," Deb said here to day. In his meeting with Modi, the Sikkim CM talked about the problems the people of Sikkim have been facing due to the ongoing indefinite shutdown and the agitation in the hills of Darjeeling and Kalimpong. Expressing concern over the situation as the unrest has had a direct impact on Sikkim,  Chamling has threatened to drag the Bengal government to court for financial losses to the tune of Rs 60,000 crore the state had to suffer during the Gorkhaland movement in Darjeeling since 1980s.

According to Mr Chamling, the agitation in the Hills that has continued for over a month now has left Sikkim reeling under a shortage of essentials, while heavy rainfall, landslides, and risk to life and property of the people of Sikkim in their movement on National Highway 10, the state's front Sikkim to Siliguri and back have made matters worse for the Himalayan state.

The situation seems to be aggravated by the unloading of Sikkim bound trucks at the FCI or Oil depots at New Jalpaiguri and Siliguri by miscreants there in the full knowledge of the Bengal Police." "Even ordinary passengers bound for Sikkim buying anything in Siliguri like vegetables and other items have been humiliated and their goods unloaded. In most of the cases Sikkim registered trucks and smaller vehicles carrying goods have been made to load and unload again,' the chief minister told the PM, according to a press release issued by the Sikkim government.