Guwahati: TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday claimed that BJP leaders were fooling the people of north Bengal by raising the demand for a separate state.
He said Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has asserted that his party was against the division of states.
Banerjee, who was addressing a rally at Mathabhanga in Cooch Behar, said TMC will never allow the division of the state.
“While the Assam chief minister claims that they will never divide any state, BJP leaders in West Bengal keep issuing feelers about the state being separated. These people are fooling you,” he said.
Banerjee was referring to Sarma’s statement at an election rally in Tripura’s Sepahijala district on Tuesday where the Assam chief minister said the BJP will not compromise with Tripura’s territorial integrity even if it fails to form the next government in the state.
“The BJP is ready to give everything to empower the indigenous people — socially, culturally, politically and linguistically but is against the bifurcation of Tripura. We will not compromise with the territorial integrity of the small state even if the party fails to form the next government,” Sarma had said.
A section of the BJP leaders from northern Bengal, including Alipurduar MP John Barla, Matigara-Naxalbari MLA Anandamoy Barman and Dabgram-Phulbari MLA Shikha Chatterjee, has been demanding a Union territory be carved out of the state.