Suvendu intended to sabotage the efforts of Mamata Banerjee by cutting off Bengala del Norte
State BJP MLAs and leaders on Tuesday attempted to cover up the initiative taken by the Mamata Banerjee government in North Bengal.
Guided by Suvendu Adhikari, leader of the opposition in the assembly, the state government was criticized for having a bias towards North Bengal (a region comprising eight districts and a population of about 35 lakh) for development.
On Tuesday, BJP leaders gathered in a hall of the guest house of the railway station of New Jalpaiguri when Prime Minister Mamata Banerjee reached Kanchenjunga Stadium here for her program. These places are separated by a distance of about 5 km.
“The Prime Minister was here on a joyous visit. Attended a wedding of acquaintances and took some photos. He is angry with North Bengal because the people here have voted for BJP. Now he is trying to re-energize his party’s support base in the seven parliamentary seats we won. In the budget, allocation is made in detail for the North Bengal Development Department in every financial exercise, but the actual release is very less”, the official said.
He also met a group of people who had reached there along with the MLAs.
“This is a government that ignores elected representatives of other parties. Today, despite the fact that a government function was celebrated here, no BJP MLA from the district was invited, not even a deputy. This does not happen even when the Prime Minister attends an official event”, he said.
BJP MLA from Nandigram Adhikari alleged corruption in the territorial administration of Gorkhaland.
“There has been corruption in recruitment. Soon we will start a movement in the mountains on this subject”, he said.
Later reached Uttarkanya, the state government secretariat located far south of Siliguri.
When the officers, accompanied by some ten party representatives and party supporters, arrived at the entry point, they were detained by police agents raising barricades.
“Nosotros, MLAs, we want to visit Uttarkanya. Let us have a look at the facilities and we will leave”, the officer said.
The police refused entry. BJP leaders including Adhikari started raising slogans against Mamata and her government.
The demonstration continued for about 10 minutes, after which A.R. Principal Secretary of North Bengal Development Department Bardhan, who was present in the Secretariat, met the MLAs.
Adhikari and other MLAs were invited to come inside, but they refused.
“The police who denied us entry should have apologized to us. We will go to the hall of the Jalpaiguri Circuit of the Superior Tribunal of Calcutta to obtain permission and then we will enter Uttarkanya. People here do not get any service from the secretariat”, the official said.
Soon, the BJP party again left the place raising slogans.
Trinamool district leaders criticized Adhikari and other BJP leaders.
“During the Prime Minister’s visit to Siliguri, they (BJP leaders) only wanted to spread tension. Suvendu Adhikari returned to theater in an attempt to gain political mileage. Vedabrata Dutta, Trinamool spokesperson in Darjeeling (Lallanuras), said, BJP has responded that it is rapidly losing support in North Bengal and hence it is taking such actions.
