Will achieve permanent political settlement for Darjeeling without separating it from Bengal: HM Amit Shah

Kolkata, April 14 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Tuesday that if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) comes to power in West Bengal after the upcoming Assembly polls scheduled later this month, a permanent political solution for the hills scattered over Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong in the northern sector will be achieved without separating them from the state.

“The political solution to the demand of our Gorkha brothers will be achieved without separating the hills from West Bengal. At the same time, the overall development of the entire North Bengal will be our topmost priority. We will be setting up four major townships in North Bengal,” the Union Home Minister said while addressing a campaign rally at Gangarampur in West Dinajpur district.

However, the Union Minister did not give details on how the permanent political solution for the hills will be achieved without separating them from the state, considering the main demand is a separate Gorkhaland state.

At the rally, Amit Shah also made some other promises for the development of North Bengal as a region.

The promises include one Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), one Indian Institute of Management (IIM), a sports university, one tribal university, one eco-adventure hub, and a 600-bed cancer hospital for the region.

At the same time, he added, the Rajbongshi language, which is widely spoken in North Bengal, will be included in the 8th Schedule.

Speaking on the occasion, the Union Home Minister once again accused the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government of not allotting 600 acres of land to the Border Security Force (BSF) for erecting barbed fencing at the unfenced borders with Bangladesh in the state.

“If we (BJP) come to power in West Bengal this time, the land will be allotted to the BSF within 45 days. The BJP has resolved that after the formation of the new government, it will expel each and every infiltrator from the entire West Bengal and the country. These infiltrators are dangerous to the security of our country. They are snatching away the employment of our youth. They are eating the rice meant for the poor,” Union Minister Amit Shah said.

–IANS

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