India News | BJP MLA Claims Nepali Poet's Birth Anniversary Not Celebrated in Bengal Plains

Kolkata, Mar 17 (PTI) BJP MLA from Kurseong in Darjeeling Hills Bisnu Prasad Sharma on Thursday reiterated his charge about disconnect between the hills and rest of West Bengal, claiming the birth anniversary of poet Nepali Bhanubhakta was not celebrated in the plains but that of Rabindranath Tagore is observed everywhere.

While taking part in the Budget discussion, Sharma commented, "You were upset with my view expressed in the Assembly yesterday that the Darjeeling Hills should have separate statehood as people in the hills are not emotionally connected with those in plains."

Also Read | Mod Narayan Singh, JD-U Leader, Assaulted for Molesting Woman in Bihar's Rohtas.

"However, if one takes into account certain factors like "our national poet Bhanubhakta Acharya not getting any importance on his birthday in the plains of West Bengal, vis-a-vis the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore held with great enthusiasm in hills, one will realise the reason behind the people there feeling discriminated against in Bengal," he added.

In reply, West Bengal Minister of State for Finance (Independent charge) Chandrima Bhattacharya said, "Our chief minister Mamata Banerjee visits the hills frequently as she considers the area and it's people integral to Bengal."

Also Read | Holi 2022: Madhya Pradesh's Bandhavgarh National Park To Be Closed for Tourists Tomorrow.

"Please don't sow the seeds of discord," she said.

TMC leader Partha Chatterjee told reporters at his chamber, "Sharma appears to be ignorant about the long-standing ties between people in the hills and the plains."

"In our Assembly hall, the portrait of Bhanubhakta is garlanded and tributes paid on his birthday. Sharma doesn't know facts," he said.

Sharma's comments on statehood Wednesday triggered an outrage as the Trinamool described it as secessionist.

Skirting the main issue, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari had said due to the continued neglect of North Bengal, poor people had been deprived of true development and that gave rise to the disenchantment among people in the hills.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)