Mamata Banerjee.
| Photo Credit: ANI
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is on a three-day visit to the Darjeeling hills. In a public address on Wednesday (November 13, 2024), she called for the unity of people of the hills and the plains amidst slogans of “Jay Gorkha, Jay Bangla” and called for people of both parts of Bengal to work together.
This is Ms. Banerjee’s first visit to the hills in two years. She spoke at the inaugural event of the 7th SARAS (Sale of Articles of Rural Artisans Society) Mela, a national event for local artisans to showcase their art and local women to sell their products.
In her address, the Chief Minister said, “Just to make individual gains, do not sell out Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong, and Mirik. It is important to take these places forward. I want to see all of you say ‘Jay Gorkha, Jay Bangla’. We will work together, there is no difference between us.”
She was also seen participating in the cultural events organised by the locals of the area. She is on this tour with another Trinamool Congress MLA and the State Power Minister Aroop Biswas. She was welcomed to the hills by Anit Thapa, Chairman of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). Mr Thapa’s party Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha is an ally of the Trinamool in the hills.
During the Lok Sabha elections and on other occasions her trips to the hills kept getting cancelled over the last two years. In the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaigns Mr. Thapa is said to have taken charge of the campaigns after the Chief Minister’s trip was cancelled.
Development in the hills
Ms. Banerjee spoke extensively about her plans for developments in the hills. She said that homestay businesses in the hills have excelled and called for more to improve development in the area.
She also raised concerns about the Central Government not releasing money to the State and its schemes. She criticised the Bhartiya Janata Party and said: “They only come during the elections and take your votes. They make promises and never fulfil them. Our candidate did not win here in the Lok Sabha elections because he does not lie, he works.” She also accused the BJP leaders only work “one day in five years to get votes and we work 365 days.”
She called for peace, development, and growth in the hills and said that this is their difference from the Opposition BJP rulers who visit the hills and make a jumla (empty promises).
The Chief Minister also highlighted that the hills have a lot of talent, and the young generation should focus on skill development and said that their government plans to open multiple skill training centres across the hills. She also said that they have given over 54,000 pattas in the tea gardens. She also promised 1.2 lakh to anyone who gets the patta.
Earlier on Tuesday, Ms. Banerjee had also said that the 16 Development Boards formed for the Darjeeling hills will be overhauled amidst rising concerns and accusations about financial irregularities in these bodies.
This call for unity and accusation about BJP comes after earlier in the year in July West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar had called for a division of the northern portion of Bengal from the rest of the State. The call was quashed after a unanimous decision was passed at the State Assembly against any efforts to divide the State after much mud-sludging for over two weeks.
Published – November 14, 2024 07:55 am IST
