BJP MP from Darjeeling SS Ahluwalia
BJP Darjeeling MP SS Ahluwalia today raised his voice for a separate Gorkhaland and wondered when will Gorkhas living in Darjeeling can say that they are residents of their state but his party distanced itself from his comments and said it does not want a division of Bengal.
"The Biharis say they are from Bihar, the Punjabis say they belong to Punjab, those who are Tamils say they belong to Tamil Nadu. When will the Gorkhas say that they belong to Gorkhaland? Their dreams should also come true," Mr Ahluwalia said at a programme in Darjeeling during the day.
The BJP state leadership, however, quickly distanced itself from Ahluwalia's comment and said it does not want division of Bengal.
"The BJP doesn't want division of West Bengal but want economical development of Darjeeling. Maybe he had made an emotional speech," BJP MLA Shamik Bhattacharya said.
After Centre's nod for Telangana, protests had rocked Darjeeling over the separate Gorkhaland issue. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had firmly dealt with the protests over a separate state and had nipped the agitation in the bud.