Central forces should not be withdrawn from Bengal: Mamata

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today backed the plea made by Trinamool Congress to the Centre not to withdraw central forces from West Bengal without the consent of the state government.

Raising the issue in the House, Banerjee said West Bengal had borders with countries like Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan and states like Jharkhand and Bihar and there was danger of criminal and smuggling activities though there was no complaint against the neighbours. Claiming that West Bengal had become a model of peace, Banerjee said there was a path through junglemahal leading to Maoist-hit states like Jharkhand and Chattishgarh and central forces were required to maintain tranquillity. Earlier, raising the issue in Lok Sabha on June 11, the TMC MP Sudip Bandhopadhyay had urged Home Minister Rajnath Singh to discuss the issue with the Mamata Banerjee government before taking a call. He had said 13 companies of central forces were being withdrawn from the Jharkhand-Midnapore border and the Darjeeling-Nepal border.