BJP trying to destabilise Darjeeling: Mamata Banerjee
At a press conference, after meeting with all hill parties, Banerjee uttered some strong words against her political rival, the BJP, alleging the latter of playing a political game at a time when Darjeeling is getting back to normalcy after the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) called off their strike last month.
Accusing the central government, Banerjee said: "The withdrawal of the central forces is a conspiracy by the BJP party to divide Bengal and destabilise."
She even vented out her anger against the Centre for not consulting with the Trinamool Congress-led West Bengal government before withdrawing the forces.
The chief minister even said the decision to withdraw the central forces was taken from the BJP party office.
Banerjee wrote letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Rajnath Singh to convey her dissatisfaction in the whole issue.
The forces were withdrawn couple of days back after a police officer was killed and at least four cops were seriously injured in a crossfire between security forces and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) supporters loyal to Bimal Gurung.
According to sources, acting on a tip off that Bimal Gurung had returned to Darjeeling from neighbouring state Sikkim and taken shelter in an illegal arms factory-cum-warehouse at Takvar area near Gurung's political-base Patlebas, a heavy police force cordoned off the area and had began search operation.
When police were searching houses at Limbu Basti, the GJM activists had reportedly started fire aiming at the cops on Thursday midnight.
Following an appeal of Union home minister Rajnath Singh, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), finally called off an indefinite strike in Darjeeling after 104 days on September 27.
The indefinite strike was called with the demand of a separate Gorkhaland.
The protest by the GJM had started after West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee held an administrative meeting in Darjeeling months ago.
Banerjee's meeting was followed by a protest by the GJM supporters who had ransacked several government properties, leading to a complete shutdown in the hills.
The WB CM on Monday said the meeting with the hill parties was "very good and positive". They will next meet on November 21 in Darjeeling.
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