India News | Mamata Dropped Charges Against Accused in Hill Violence for Political Reasons : Sukanta Majumder
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. BJP state president Sukanta Majumder Thursday said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had pursued a policy of double standards in Darjeeling by withdrawing charges against those accused of arson and violence in the hills during the period from 2017 to 2019 for political reasons.
Siliguri, Oct 28 (PTI) BJP state president Sukanta Majumder Thursday said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had pursued a policy of double standards in Darjeeling by withdrawing charges against those accused of arson and violence in the hills during the period from 2017 to 2019 for political reasons.
Hinting at the dropping of all charges against Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leader Bimal Gurung by the state government in October, 2020, Majumder told reporters here that this was injustice to the family of the policeman who had died in the violence in Darjeeling in 2017 over the demand for a separate Gorkhaland.
"It is ironic that the forces responsible for the unrest in the hills for which we had lost a young policeman, are yet to be brought to book. Instead the West Bengal Chief Minister has dropped all charges against the accused in the incidents of murder, violence, arson. Does that mean no violence had occurred in the hills?" he said.
"The charges were withdrawn for political reasons," Majumder claimed.
Gurung, who was earlier with the BJP, had gone underground since the violence in Darjeeling in 2017 after calling a bandh for 104 days and indulging in violence. More than 100 cases were slapped against him by the West Bengal government, including the stringent UAPA. He returned to the hills in 2019 and is now an ally of TMC. The state government has dropped some of the charges against him.
The BJP leader said the party does not believe in double speak and would be on the side of the people of the hills. It is for a permanent political settlement to the contentious issues in the hills.
On ruling TMC's opposition to the increase in the jurisdiction of BSF to 50 km from the international border instead of the earlier 15 km, he said it has been done in other bordering states too but only West Bengal is protesting against it.
"Does the TMC have anything to hide ? Is it scared that its wrongful deeds will be exposed? " asked the Balurghat MP, who was felicitated by his party at Siliguri after assuming the presidentship of its state unit.
(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)