TMC accuses Centre of `instigating` Gorkhaland stir

The ruling Trinamool Congress alleged that the Centre `instigated` the trouble in the Darjeeling hills following the decision to create a Telangana state.

Siliguri: The ruling Trinamool Congress on Friday alleged that the Centre `instigated` the trouble in the Darjeeling hills following the decision to create a Telangana state and reiterated that there was no question of division of West Bengal.

"The Centre is instigating it for political purpose which is unfair and unethical," Trinamool Congress general secretary Mukul Roy told reporters here, in this north Bengal town, in the plains of Darjeeling district. "Darjeeling is part and parcel of West Bengal. There is no question of division of Bengal. This is the stand of the party as well as of the state government," Roy, a close aide of Trinamool Congress supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, said. Roy, who was here to take a stock of the situation in the backdrop of the GJM reviving the Gorkhaland movement, said the state government would deal with the indefinite bandh called from Saturday. "We do not want it. The administration will see how to deal with it," he said. "We want peace and development in Darjeeling," he said. Congress, on the other hand, said that the Centre did not provide any instigation in the hills and the TMC was accusing it as it could not manage the situation now. "The Centre did not give any instigation. They can`t manage the situation and that is why they are accusing the Centre," WBPCC general secretary Pradip Bhattacharya, MP, said. "They used to say that the hills are smiling. Now when the hills are crying, they have sought central forces. The Centre has given it," he said. Bhattacharya said that the state government should convene an all-party meeting on the situation in the hills. Meanwhile, a GJM delegation left for Delhi to press the demand for Gorkhaland. Before their departure, GJM general secretary Roshan Giri accused the state government of bringing central forces to crush the GJM movement. "The people are on the streets in support of their demand for Gorkhaland. The state government cannot stifle their voice. We want Gorkhaland. It is our legitimate and constitutional demand," the Morcha leader said. North Bengal Hill Development minister Gautam Deb condemned the burning down last night of a forest bungalow at Takdha, where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had put up during a visit to Darjeeling on January 09. "All those involved will be arrested. We will not allow anyone to take the law into their hands," he said. PTI