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Elections after permanent political solution in hills: Mamata in Kurseong
Addressing an event in Kurseong, Banerjee said once a final plan for the region was in place, her administration would ahead with elections for panchayats and the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA).
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said on Tuesday outsiders and not insiders were creating problems in the hills while urging leaders of the region to come up with a final plan for a ‘permanent political solution’ before going ahead with elections.
Addressing an event in Kurseong, Banerjee said once a final plan for the region was in place, her administration would ahead with elections for panchayats and the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA).
“I request the hill leaders to make a final plan for hills-'Permanent Political solution' and then we will go for panchayat polls and GTA polls... Outsiders are creating problems in the hills, not insiders,” the Trinamool Congress supremo was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Banerjee also brought up the issue of the Centre's decision to extend the jurisdiction of the Border Security Force (BSF) in states like Bengal, Punjab and Assam.
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She said that while she respected the forces, they should not harass people in the name of security. She reiterated her statement that the state's borders were peaceful and the forces' involvement were not needed.
“I respect the forces but they can't intentionally harass people in the name of security. I have already written a letter to the Centre opposing the BSF jurisdiction issue. Our border areas are completely peaceful, we don't need their involvement,” the chief minister said.
On Monday, she had said the Centre’s BSF move was meant to create a disturbance and her government was protesting the same.
