Mamata, Rijiju to visit disaster hit areas as Darjeeling hills limp back to normal

Siliguri: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Union Minister Kiren Rijiju are set to visit landslide-hit areas of Darjeeling hills on Tuesday to assess the damage, even as the rain-battered areas are slowly returning to normalcy.

The twin visits, coming within 24 hours of Prime Minister Narendra Modi slamming the Trinamool Congress government over the attack on two BJP leaders in Jalpaiguri's Nagrakata, have set the stage for a high-voltage face-off between the state and the Centre in politically sensitive north Bengal.

A day after torrential rains triggered landslides and flash floods that left 30 people dead and several missing across north Bengal, BJP MP Khagen Murmu and Siliguri MLA Sankar Ghosh were attacked by a mob in Jalpaiguri's Nagrakata on Monday while visiting relief sites.

Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari is also scheduled to tour the flood and landslide-hit areas on Tuesday.

While Banerjee is expected to travel from Siliguri to Mirik, one of the worst-affected areas where a bridge on the Mirik-Dhupia route was washed away, Rijiju, accompanied by Darjeeling MP Raju Bista, will also head there in the morning as part of his two-day tour of north Bengal.

Banerjee on Monday declared that the state would rebuild the bridges that collapsed during the calamity, beginning with the Mirik bridge.

Rijiju, who landed in Siliguri on Tuesday morning, told reporters, "I have come here to assess the damages in the hilly areas of Jalpaiguri due to rainfall and floods. On behalf of the Prime Minister, I will meet the affected families and those who lost their loved ones. I will report to the PM after assessing the damage."

Referring to the assault on the BJP leaders, the Union Minister said, "We spoke about the attack on the MP and MLA in north Bengal. The Lok Sabha Speaker sent a notice and sought a report from the state government. If there is a delay, action will be taken under the Privilege Motion. This is not just about an MP or MLA every citizen must be given security."

The tragedy has reignited the political confrontation between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP, each accusing the other of politicising the disaster.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had condemned the attack on the two BJP leaders, calling it a reflection of "TMC's insensitivity and the pathetic state of law and order in West Bengal."

Responding sharply, Banerjee accused the Prime Minister of "violating the constitutional ethos" by making allegations without any official probe or administrative report.

As political leaders rush to the hills, the state continues its relief operations. Roads in many parts of Darjeeling and the Dooars remain partially blocked, with vehicles taking detours to connect the plains with the hills.

According to local authorities, Mirik remains among the worst-hit zones, with several houses swept away and communication lines disrupted. Rescue and repair work continues amid fears of fresh landslides in certain slopes.

Both the ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP have mobilised their party cadres for relief efforts. While Trinamool leaders said Banerjee has directed all local units to "stand beside people in this hour of crisis", Adhikari claimed in a social media post that BJP workers were distributing food, medicines, and essential supplies across the affected areas.

Later in the day, BJP's Bengal co-election in-charge and former Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb, along with Union Minister of State for DoNER Sukanta Majumdar, is also expected to reach Siliguri to meet the injured leaders and visit affected families.