'Incorporate North Bengal with NE India': WB BJP President Sukanta Majumdar says he submitted formal proposal for bifurcation to PM Modi

In a significant political move, Sukanta Majumdar, the President of the BJP in West Bengal and a Member of Parliament, has proposed the division of West Bengal and incorporating the region of North Bengal with the neighbouring North East India. Majumdar said today that he has met PM Narendra Modi and has submitted a formal proposal for the matter. 

"I met the PM today and submitted a proposal to incorporate North Bengal with North East India. It is up to the PM now to decide on this. But if North Bengal is incorporated with North East India, the region will benefit from the Central Government schemes," Majumdar stated.

He further stated that by bifurcating Bengal into two parts, the North Bengal region would receive focussed attention from the centre, which it has not been able to due to neglect from the state government.

This proposal is not without precedent. The idea of bifurcating North Bengal from the rest of West Bengal has a long and contentious history, rooted in the region's unique geographical, cultural, and economic landscape. 

History

North Bengal, comprising the districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, and parts of North Dinajpur, Malda, and South Dinajpur, has always been distinct from the southern parts of West Bengal. Its history is marked by a rich cultural tapestry influenced by its proximity to Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh, and its significant tribal and ethnic diversity.

Moreover, the concept of a separate North Bengal isn't new. The British colonial administration recognised the distinctiveness of the region, which was administratively separate from the rest of Bengal. After independence, the region's unique needs and its strategic importance, bordering several countries, led to periodic discussions about its autonomy.

In recent decades, the demand for a separate state or union territory status for North Bengal has resurfaced, driven by perceived neglect from the state government in Kolkata. Proponents argue that the region's integration with the North East could bring economic development, better infrastructure, and more targeted governance, leveraging the centre's schemes tailored for the North Eastern states.

Also, proponents of bifurcation argue that the economic disparity between North Bengal and South Bengal is huge, and North Bengal, despite its rich natural resources, including tea gardens and forests, and its strategic location, has lagged in industrial development and infrastructural growth. The region's integration with the North East, which receives special economic packages from the Centre, could potentially bridge this gap, they argue.

Political Implications

Majumdar's proposal is bound to stir political debates. The Trinamool Congress (TMC), which is in power in West Bengal, has consistently opposed the division of the state. In fact, only last year the West Bengal assembly passed a resolution opposing any moves that would result in bifurcation of the state. State municipal affairs minister Firhad Hakim even said it was no surprise that the BJP was behind such efforts as its parent organisation, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) always were opponents of Bengal's unity.

The north-south divide in the state is stark, and Majumdar's move is bound to receive a massive backlash from the ruling TMC.