By IANS,
Kolkata : Questioning the Darjeeling pact, former West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee Friday said it would pave the way for the state’s division and creation of Gorkhaland.
“We surely need to give time to this government. We should not reach a conclusion too early. But I would like to ask what the new government is trying to do in Darjeeling. When we were in the government, we wanted to maintain peace by keeping the state integrated,” Bhattacharjee said while addressing a programme of his Communist Party of India-Marxist here.
“But what is going on now? The treaty says that those who were fighting for Gorkhaland have not eschewed their demand. Who are they (the state government) appeasing? This treaty will pave the way for the division of Bengal and creation of Gorkhaland. It will create new tension in north Bengal,” he added.
A tripartite agreement on the trouble-torn Darjeeling hills in northern West Bengal was signed July 18 between the GJM and the state and central governments.
At the core of the accord is the formation of a new autonomous elected hill council, the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA), which is armed with more powers as compared to its predecessor, the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC), formed in the late 1980s.
Bhattcharjee cautioned the state government regarding the regrouping of the Maoists in the western districts.
“Now what will they (Trinamool Congress) say regarding the presence of Maoists? Are they present or not? Earlier they denied the presence of the Maoists. We have reports that Maoists have regrouped in vast areas of the western districts. Where will they be stopped,” said Bhattacharjee.
While in the opposition, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had repeatedly denied the presence of the Maoists in the state.