Lalgarh:
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today ruled out a division of the state following violence in Terai and Dooars region in Jalpaiguri district over demand for inclusion of Gorkha dominated pockets under the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) in Darjeeling.
The GTA was set up after a tripartite agreement between the Centre, the West Bengal government and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM).
"Bengal does not want to be split. Let there be peace in Dooars and Terai and between the hills and the plains. We will not allow peace to be disrupted," she told a rally in Lalgarh.
Yesterday, Ms Banerjee had said that everything would be done as per the GTA tripartite agreement and the recommendation of the high power committee formed by the state government.
Meanwhile, fresh arson broke out in the Terai and Dooars areas in the plains in Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts as the indefinite bandh entered its second day.
Two cars were set on fire at Odlabari in Mal block and another car and scooter at Bagrakote near Siliguri during a clash between pro- and anti-bandh supporters, police sources said.
The police station at Jaigaon was also gheraoed by bandh supporters, they said, adding that 100 people were detained for disturbing peace.
The indefinite bandh has been called by Terai Dooars Coordination Committee backed by Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) and the John Barla-led faction of the Adivasi Vikash Parishad.
The bandh would be 'relaxed' for two days from Wednesday, Barla said after a meeting of the Coordination Committee at Jaigaon where GJM president Bimal Gurung was present.
"If the government does not give us permission to hold public meetings, the indefinite bandh will resume from April 27," Barla said.
With the GJM not given permission to hold a meeting at Nagrakata on Sunday, its general secretary Roshan Giri warned that should the administration continue to act in this way, his party could 'reject' the GTA in future.
Regretting that the administration had not given permission to the GJM to hold a meeting at Nagrakata, Giri said at Chakbazar in Darjeeling, "We went to hold a meeting. This was not allowed. If the present administration continues to behave as the earlier one, we might in future reject the GTA," he said.
Earlier on April 22, the GJM had decided to boycott meetings of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and North Bengal Development minister Goutam Deb in protest against the state government's decision not to give permission to hold the meeting at Nagrakata.
The Barla faction of the ABAVP supported the GJM and wanted inclusion of Gorkha-dominated areas in the Dooars and Terai in the plains in the GTA.
Meanwhile, tourists were leaving the Darjeeling hills fearing another round of bandh in the hills. No vehicle was on the road from Darjeeling and Kurseong to Siliguri, officials said.