Darjeeling, July 23: The Centre has
decided to withdraw 13 companies of central forces from north Bengal
despite opposition from the state government, a decision that is being
seen as a fallout of the strained relation between the BJP and Mamata
Banerjee.
Five companies would be withdrawn tomorrow and the remaining eight would be withdrawn on July 31.
This evening,
Akhilesh Chaturvedi, the Darjeeling district police chief, however, said
he had not yet received any communication on the withdrawal of the
forces.
Today, Derek O’
Brien, Trinamul chief whip in Rajya Sabha, raised the issue of force
withdrawal in the hills during Zero Hour. Trinamul leader Sudip
Bandyopadhyay also spoke on the matter in Lok Sabha. Excerpts of the
speeches have been uploaded on Trinamul’s website www.aitmc.org.
Derek O’ Brien
said: “The State Government wrote to the Central Government when the
Ministry of Home Affairs wanted to remove those thirteen Companies on
the 14th July. Sir, of these thirteen Companies, despite the State
Government writing, sadly Sir, tomorrow morning at 10AM, around 20hrs
from now, five of those Companies are being withdrawn and on the 31st
July eight more will be withdrawn.”
Bandyopadhyay said
this morning that he came to know about the decision only “one hour
back”. While Derek cited the renewed activities by the KPP and KLP,
Bandyopadhyay referred to the “long battle” with Maoists, Jangal Mahal,
Darjeeling and international borders to object the Centre’s move. Derek
said: “Sir, the area there itself is quite tense. In December there were
killings in Jalpaiguri and the KPP and the KLO are operational in that
area, Sir.”
Bandyopadhyaya
said: “Bengal has become peaceful after a long battle with Maoists.
Jangal Mahal is there, Darjeeling and international borders are also
there...”
Addressing Rajnath
Singh, he said: “I have been asked by the Chief Minister to communicate
to you that you take an immediate decision and assure us that these
companies of CRPF can only be withdrawn in consultation with the Chief
Minister or the State Government. Otherwise a very chaotic situation
will emerge in the State of West Bengal. I want a positive assurance
from you...”
Paramilitary
forces were deployed in Darjeeling in August 2013 after Gorkha Janmukti
Morcha’s Gorkhaland agitation following the Centre’s nod to create
Telangana. Nine companies of the CPRF are posted in the three hill
subdivisions and the rest are in the plains.
After BJP’s S.S.
Ahluwalia, who was backed by the Morcha, won Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat,
Bimal Gurung, GTA chief executive, wrote to Union home minister Rajnath
Singh on June 2, 2014. Today, Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri said
in the letter, Gurung demanded the “withdrawal of paramilitary forces”.
Giri, a GTA Sabha
member, added: “There is peace in Darjeeling and there is no need for
paramilitary forces in the hills. We are happy with the Centre’s
decision.”
Ahluwalia today
said Trinamul was misguiding the Centre. “In the first week of July,
Bandyopadhyay said the forces were being used to man Indo-Nepal border
and stationed in Jungle Mahal. Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan borders are
manned by SSB and Indo-Bangladesh border is manned by the BSF,” he said.
“The CRPF is being stationed in police stations and being made to
conduct raids. Mamata Banerjee has been claiming there is peace in
Jungle Mahal and Darjeeling hence, there is no need of the forces.”(TT)