Northeast Desk, 25th July: Sukanta Majumdar, BJP president of West Bengal and Union Minister, has proposed incorporating North Bengal into the Northeastern states to enhance regional development and improve access to central government schemes. Majumdar, representing Balurghat, put forward the proposal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting the geographical and cultural similarities between North Bengal and the Northeast.
Majumdar expressed optimism that the state government would have minimal objections to the idea, which aims to better integrate the region into national development plans. However, the proposal has ignited a fierce political debate.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray has vehemently opposed the proposal, condemning it as “secessionist” and unconstitutional. Ray criticized Majumdar for allegedly undermining West Bengal’s unity and questioned the Prime Minister’s authority to endorse such a proposal.
TMC spokesperson Riju Dutta escalated the dispute, accusing the BJP of being “anti-Bengal” and vowing to fight any efforts to alter the state’s boundaries. “Bengal has faced partition before, and we will not allow it to happen again,” Dutta asserted, emphasizing the party’s commitment to safeguarding the state’s integrity.
This proposal echoes a similar suggestion from 2021 by former BJP MP John Barla, who had advocated for North Bengal to become either a separate union territory or a new state. The current debate highlights ongoing tensions surrounding regional integration and state autonomy.
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