MHA seeks report on Darjeeling after WB govt wants replacement of paramilitary

New Delhi: The West Bengal government has asked the Centre to recall 100 women paramilitary personnel deployed in restive Darjeeling and also replace SSB personnel with CRPF jawans, prompting the home ministry to seek reasons for the move.

The ministry also told the West Bengal government to send a detailed factual report on the law-and-order situation in Darjeeling, which has seen violence for nearly 20 days.

This is for the second time that the central government has sought a report from the state on Darjeeling.

The communication was sent after the West Bengal government told the home ministry to recall 100 women paramilitary personnel, belonging to the CRPF currently deployed in Darjeeling, and instead send men paramilitary personnel.

The West Bengal government also requested the home ministry to recall around 300 men SSB personnel and replace them with CRPF personnel.

A home ministry spokesperson said the "inappropriate" requests of the West Bengal government are being examined.

"A state government can't name the central force to be given. The reasons for recall of the women paramilitary personnel and SSB with CRPF were not immediately known," he said.