TMC government trying to divide people of Darjeeling hills: BJP

PTI | Feb 7, 2018, KOLKATA: West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh on Wednesday accused the TMC government of trying to divide the people of the Darjeeling hills, adding that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's visit will once again threaten the peace and stability there.

Darjeeling was rocked by violence by the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) since the chief minister's visit in June last year over 'forcing' Bengali language as a compulsory subject in schools. The hills also saw a wave of protest by the GJM in support of a separate Gorkhaland state.

Banerjee will visit the hills after a gap of seven months.

Ghosh criticised the state government for the violence and bloodshed that took place in the hills last year.

"The hills were on boil because of the policies of the state government. So many people were killed only to satisfy TMC's urge to control the political power of the hills. The TMC has reached its goal with the help of Binay Tamang who betrayed his own leader Bimal Gurung," Ghosh said.

Tamang now leads the GJM and the Gorkha Territorial Administration. Gurung, who earlier held both the posts, went into hiding in August last year when the West Bengal government lodged cases against him under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for his alleged involvement in several bomb blasts in Darjeeling and adjoining areas. He was later thrown out of the party.

Ghosh said the hills were on the boil due to the "politics of divide and rule" of the state government.

"She tried to divide and rule the people there by dividing them into 11 groups in the name of setting up developmental boards. She is trying to do the same thing now," he said.

"Bimal Gurung was charged under the UAPA while Binay Tamang is still moving around scot-free as he has joined hands with the TMC," he added.

The Darjeeling hills witnessed 104-day-long indefinite shutdown in the hills over the demand of a separate state of Gorkhaland last year. The stir was called off on September 26 by Gurung following an appeal by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. PNT KK SRY