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Amit Shah Vows Permanent Darjeeling Solution, Major North Bengal Development Push

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has pledged to achieve a permanent political solution for the Darjeeling hills without separating the region from West Bengal if the BJP comes to power in the state. He announced a slew of development projects for North Bengal, including new educational institutions, a cancer hospital, and an eco-adventure hub. Shah also accused the Mamata Banerjee government of not allotting land to the BSF for border fencing and vowed to expel infiltrators. However, he did not provide details on how the political solution for the hills would be reconciled with the long-standing demand for a separate Gorkhaland state.

Key Points: Amit Shah: Permanent Darjeeling Solution Without Separating from Bengal

  • Permanent political solution for Darjeeling hills
  • No separation from West Bengal
  • Major development projects for North Bengal
  • Pledge to expel infiltrators
  • Accusation against Mamata govt on BSF land
2 min read

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

Union Home Minister Amit Shah promises a permanent political settlement for Darjeeling hills and major development projects for North Bengal if BJP wins state polls.

"The political solution to the demand of our Gorkha brothers will be achieved without separating the hills from West Bengal. - Amit Shah"

Kolkata, April 14

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Tuesday that if the Bharatiya Janata Party 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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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Promising IITs and IIMs is good, but first fix the basic infrastructure in North Bengal. The roads are terrible and healthcare is a joke outside Siliguri. Development should start from the ground up, not with big institutes that only a few can access.
R
Rohit P
Including Rajbongshi language in the 8th Schedule is a welcome step! It's about time our regional languages and cultures got the recognition they deserve. Jai Bangla, but also jai to all our mother tongues.
S
Sarah B
As someone who has family in the hills, I appreciate the focus on development. The cancer hospital promise is crucial. But the border fencing issue is critical for national security. It's shocking that land hasn't been allotted yet. This needs to be a top priority.
V
Vikram M
Every election, we hear the same promises for Darjeeling. Gorkhaland, then not Gorkhaland, then development packages. The people in the hills are tired of being a political football. Show us the concrete plan, not just speeches.
K
Karthik V
The focus on expelling infiltrators is important for Bengal's future. It affects demographics, resources, and security. But this must be done lawfully and humanely. The solution for Darjeeling must come from dialogue with all stakeholders, not imposed from Delhi.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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