Firearms Being Smuggled From Across Borders To Separate North Bengal, Says CM Mamata Banerjee

She also asked the officials to keep a strict vigil as "some people" have plans to instigate communal clashes in the state from December.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee

Source : PTI

New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday alleged that firearms are being smuggled from Bihar and across international borders to separate north Bengal from the state, news agency PTI reported.

As per the report, Banerjee said that vehicles of VIPs are being used for the purpose, and directed the district magistrates and superintendents of police to look into the matter and stop such attempts.

She also asked the officials to keep a strict vigil as "some people" have plans to trigger communal clashes in the state from December.

It is to be noted that the chief minister's remarks come at a time when a section of BJP leaders has been raising the demand for the creation of a Union Territory in West Bengal comprising northern districts over alleged lack of development.

Ananta Rai, leader of a faction of the Greater Cooch Behar, stoked controversy after he met Union Minister of state for Home affairs Nisith Pramanik on Friday and said the creation of a new union territory is only a matter of time.

“I believe it (new union territory) will happen soon. I cannot comment on the time and date. But you can be rest assured that the new union territory of Cooch Behar is only a matter of time," PTI quoted Rai as saying.

Notably, his remark drew a sharp retort from the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) which said that it would never allow the division of West Bengal.

“They can hold as many meetings as they want or say whatever they feel like. But there will be no division of West Bengal,” TMC leader and North Bengal Development Minister Udayan Guha said.

The BJP’s Alipurduar MP John Barla and MLAs of Matigara-Naxalbari and Dabgram-Phulbari, Anandamay Barman and Shikha Chatterjee respectively, have also demanded that a Union territory be carved out of the North Bengal districts.

Last year, BJP MLA from Kurseong Bishnu Prasad Sharma had written to BJP national president J P Nadda demanding separation of Darjeeling Hills from West Bengal.