Mamata Blames UPA for encouraging statehood movement in Darjeeling

KOLKATA: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has blamed the Congress-led UPA government for hatching a conspiracy against her government by encouraging a fresh statehood movement by Gorkhas in Darjeeling. She also said that the people would foil such instigation. "I do not understand why Union Government is behaving in a partisan manner by calling 3-4 persons of GTA to Delhi. The call has come from the highest office of a political party. When Darjeeling is peaceful and according to tripartite agreement (of which Union Government is a party) election was held and GTA was formed, and development process is underway, why Delhi is making efforts to kick start fresh agitation to serve vested political interest. 

It is a matter of shame," she wrote on Facebook . The chief minister's comments came close of the heels of the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) announcing that it would go for a 72-hour bandh in Darjeeling starting Monday. The renewed agitation followed the Centre's reported move that it might accept the demand for a separate Telangana state. "We believe that the Centre will accept the demand for Telangana state and we now demand that it will also have to accept our demand for a separate Gorkha state," GJM leader Roshan Giri told ET on Sunday. "Before last Lok Sabha elections , Telengana was announced by a political party. Why it is now being brought out as an issue just before Lok Sabha election? Telengana cannot be compared with Darjeeling . When everything is settled , why Delhi is insisting to disrupt peaceful situation and play with fire? It is reported that Delhi has directed the GTA persons to go in for a separatist movement," Mamata's Facebook posting said. "Darjeeling is a part and parcel of our state. We are united and we will remain united. Any conspiracy hatched by a political party and Union Government will be defeated by the people of Darjeeling and West Bengal. I'm proud of Darjeeling .

Lakhs of tourists are visiting Darjeeling and the tour operators and hotels are flourishing in business with a growth in economy. Darjeeling is smiling. "Let me repeat again that we love Darjeeling. We love West Bengal and we love our country. We will not allow anybody to divide and rule," she added. "The demand for a separate Gorkha state is older than the Telangana issue. If the Centre can consider Telangana's separate statehood, then why not the Union government will consider our demand for Gorkhaland ?" GJM legislator Harka Bahadur Chhetri said. The Darjeeling bandh will coincide with the counting of votes for the just-concluded panchayat elections. Even though the elections were not held in Darjeeling, the state administration is worried about the impact of strike.

A GJM leader told ET on condition of anonymity that agitation in the Hills will intensify and may take a serious turn as the Lok Sabha elections are due next year. "No political party would be able to win the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat without our support and this time we will not support any political party if they don't give us specific assurance about accepting our demand for Gorkhaland ," the leader said.