Will resist division of Bengal at any cost: Mamata Banerjee

KOLKATA, (IANS): Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said on the floor of the state Assembly that Trinamool Congress will resist all attempts to divide West Bengal.

"Let them come to divide Bengal. We will show them how to resist that,” the Chief Minister said while addressing the sixth day of the monsoon session of the Assembly.

Her comments come in the wake of a recent observation made by BJP's Lok Sabha member from Jharkhand NIshikant Dubey demanding the formation of a new Union Territory by bifurcating certain districts of Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

A BJP legislator from Murshidabad assembly constituency, Gouri Sankar Ghosh also supported NIshikant Dubey’s demand.

Speaking on the occasion, Banerjee said that in the recent NITI Aayog meeting, on Saturday, she had raised the demand for the formation of the India-Bhutan River Commission, in line with the India-Bangladesh River Commission.

“I have recorded this issue at the Niti Aayog meeting in the presence of the Prime Minister. I highlighted at the NITI Aayog meeting since the shape of West Bengal is like a boat, the problem of waterlogging in the state is immense,” she further said.

“BJP is taking a one-sided decision about sharing Teesta Water with Bangladesh. We will never accept that,” the Chief Minister said.

Speaking on the occasion, she accused the Union government of providing money to neighbouring states for the purpose of flood prevention. “However, West Bengal is deprived every year of the fund,” Mamata Banerjee said.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that despite getting good results from North Bengal in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, the party (BJP) has totally ignored the development of the region.