Despite FIR, MLA sticks to UT stance Sikha Chatterjee says FIR a TMC threat to take her back

MANAS R BANNERJEE, SNS, SILIGURI, 24 JUNE:  Trinamul Congress leaders today filed a police complaint against BJP's MLA from Dabgram-Fulbari in Jalpaiguri district, Shikha Chatterjee, for her stance on a separate North Bengal state or Union Territory. Ms Chatterjee, however, said she would not bow down to "threats" and would stick to her stance.

TMC leader Debasish Pramanik, who is close to former state tourism minister Gautam Deb, who was defeated by Ms Chatterjee in the recently concluded Assembly elections, along with his associates, filed the complaint at the NJP police station and urged the police to take legal steps against the MLA for her statements in favour of separation of Bengal, which, they said had caused law and order problems, public disorder and political violence.

According to Mr Pramanik, Ms Chatterjee "categorically spoke for segregating North Bengal from the state of West Bengal and showed hatred, contempt and disaffection towards the existing lawfully elected government of West Bengal."

"The BJP MLA's intention was creating public disorder and disturbance of law and order in this region," Mr Pramanik said.

Notably, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee yesterday asked all district magistrates and superintendents of police to take action against any "propaganda" to create a separate state of North Bengal.

On the other hand, Ms Chatterjee today said that the move to file the police complaint was a threat, "so that they could take me back into the Trinamul Congress fold:

"The mind can be conquered with love. Can the mind be conquered by force? Am I wrong? I am still adamant in my statement and I will stick to my stance," Ms Chatterjee told The Statesman.

"If deprivation continues, we would demand that North Bengal be declared a Union Territory in the future," she added.

"Being a people's representative, I have raised the voice of the people, who are being deprived. We are in no position to implement several Central government schemes in the interest of the people," Ms Chatterjee said.

"When the Trinamul Congress-led state government set up Uttarkanya here, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced that people will be getting benefits from here and there was no need to go to Kolkata for urgent government work, but practically North Bengal people are still deprived," she said.