New union territory in north Bengal a matter of time: Greater Cooch Behar stir leader Ananta Rai

Cooch Behar (WB), Nov 4 (PTI) Triggering a controversy, Ananta Rai, who has been demanding a separate Cooch Behar comprising parts of north Bengal, on Friday met Union Minister of state for Home affairs Nisith Pramanik and said the creation of a new union territory is only a matter of time.

Rai who leads a faction of the Greater Cooch Behar had an hour-long meeting with Pramanik in Bhetaguri town of Cooch Behar district.

"I believe it (new union territory) will happen soon. I cannot comment on the time and date. But you can be rest assured that the new union territory of Cooch Behar is only a matter of time," Rai told reporters after the meeting.

When asked about Rai's comments regarding union territory, Pramanik, the MP of Cooch Behar constituency, said, "I will comment on it when the time comes." Rai’s organisation Greater Cooch Behar has been demanding an independent state comprising Cooch Behar and several other districts in the northern part of West Bengal.

His remark drew a sharp retort from the ruling Trinamool Congress which said it would never allow the division of West Bengal.

"They can hold as many meetings as they want or say whatever they feel like. But there will be no division of West Bengal," TMC leader and North Bengal Development Minister Udayan Guha said.

North Bengal, with its eight districts including picturesque Darjeeling, is both economically important for West Bengal as it houses the money-minting tea, timber and tourism industries.

The region is also strategically important for the country for its Siliguri corridor, commonly known as 'chicken neck', as it connects the North Eastern states with the rest of India.

The region, which shares a border with Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh, has witnessed several violent statehood movements since the early eighties by various ethnic groups such as Gorkhas, Rajbanshis, Koch and Kamatapuri communities.

The BJP's Alipurduar MP John Barla and MLAs of Matigara-Naxalbari and Dabgram-Phulbari seats, Anandamay Barman and Shikha Chatterjee respectively, have demanded that a Union territory be carved out of North Bengal districts.

BJP MLA from Kurseong Bishnu Prasad Sharma last year had written to BJP national president J P Nadda demanding separation of Darjeeling Hills from West Bengal.

The ruling TMC has accused the BJP of trying to fan separatism in the state. PTI PNT NN NN