Trinamul Congress MPs on Friday created uproar in both Houses of Parliament against home minister Sushilkumar Shinde’s meeting with Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leaders without informing West Bengal government, forcing brief adjournments of both Houses.
As soon as Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha met for the day, Trinamul members started raising slogans and displayed placards that read “Don’t Divide West Bengal” and “Centre don’t do politics in Darjeeling”.
In Lok Sabha, Trinamul member Sudip Bandopadhyaya raised the issue and alleged that a “deliberate, motivated” attempt was on to divide West Bengal. “We apprehend that the Central government is also trying (along with Gorkha Janmukti Morcha) to play a role,” he said.
He said it is unfortunate that Mr Shinde was holding talks with GJM leaders when West Bengal chief minister was meeting people in Kalimpong along with senior officials. Charging the Centre with continuously interfering in the affairs of the state, Mr Bandopadhyaya said this is hurting the federal structure.
Raising a question mark on the viability of a separate state, he said wondered as to how such a small area with just three Assembly seats can become a state carved out of West Bengal which has 294 Assembly seats. “Jaswant Singh’s Lok Sabha constituency — Darjeeling — has three Assembly seats from the hills and four from the plains,” he said.
Trinamul members created similar scenes in Rajya Sabha. Derek O’Brien (Trinamul) accused the Centre of attacking the federal structure of the country and following a “divide and rule” policy.