Siliguri (WB): A day after the historic
Darjeeling treaty was signed, West Bengal Chief Minister
Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday lashed out at the CPI-M and regional
parties based in north Bengal for opposing the treaty.
"We want to rebuild Bengal. We are for friendly bond
between the hills and the plains. When we are at work to
achieve this... these parties are up in arms against us and
trying to misguide people," she said at a function here.
The Chief Minister said the landmark Darjeeling agreement
would go a long way in establishing a link between the hills
and the plains of north Bengal.
Banerjee and Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi today
flagged off a number of state and railway projects aimed at
all-round development of north Bengal among whom there is a
mini-secretariat for the region.
"This is in accordance with my pledge for a government
of Ma, Mati, Manush which is installed in West Bengal,"
Banerjee said.
Coming down heavily on the CPI-M for "misguiding and
confusing" people on the Darjeeling agreement, the Chief
Minister said, "It is amazing that this party, which neglected
the hills for 34 years, has been raising a hue and cry over
the treaty and also at a time when we are ushering in
development in the hills".
Asking the CPI(M) "not to play with fire and not to try
to create a division between the plains and the hills," the
Chief Minister said, "I am a soft person. But I will not
tolerate any move to stall development work. I will not apply
force against these parties. I will deal with them by going in
for development."
Banerjee also slammed regional outfits Kamtapur People`s
Party, Amra Bangalee, Greater Coochbehar and others for
opposing the Darjeeling agreement.
PTI
