The West Bengal Legislative Assembly on Monday, in an apparently unseen-before bonhomie between the ruling Trinamul Congress and opposition BJP, unanimously passed a resolution opposing any move to divide the state. The Trinamul Congress has been accusing the saffron party of provoking demands for the division of West Bengal. Parliamentary affairs minister Sobhandeb Chatterjee first raised the issue to pass a resolution against the attempt to divide West Bengal.

The saffron party has been claiming that it is opposed to the bifurcation of the state and rather wants its development. “We are opposed to any attempt to divide the state. We believe in cooperative federalism,” chief minister Mamata Banerjee said while speaking on the motion in the Assembly today. “Bengal has fought for India’s freedom, and Bengal’s culture and heritage are important for the entire country… Let us work together for the development of the northern parts of West Bengal. Don’t judge our commitment to the region only by funds under the North Bengal Development Department,” Miss Banerjee said. Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the assembly, proposed the inclusion of a line in the motion: “We want the overall development of united West Bengal.

“We are against any attempt to divide West Bengal. But this motion that was read out here sounds more like the pamphlet of a political party. We think that this resolution can be passed unanimously if the line I mentioned is included,” Mr Adhikari asserted. The proposal was accepted by the chief minister, paving the way for unanimous passage of the resolution. “I would request the Speaker to include the proposal of the opposition leader in the motion,” she said in the House. Parliamentary affairs minister Sobhandeb Chatterjee first moved the resolution under Rule 185 today in the House against the backdrop of various quarters demanding the carving out of a separate Union territory comprising northern West Bengal districts. Following union minister of state for education Sukanta Majumdar’s proposal demanding the inclusion of northern West Bengal under the Ministry of DoNER (Department of Development of North East Region), fresh demands for a separate state of Cooch Behar were raised by his BJP MP Ananta Maharaj.

Several other leaders of the BJP have also openly demanded a separate UT for North Bengal. The LoP clarified that Mr Majumdar never spoke in favour of the division of West Bengal. “He (Sukanta Majumdar) had never proposed dividing the state. He had spoken about funds for the development of northern West Bengal.

If amending the Constitution brings more funds for the region, then the North Bengal Development Department will have more funds,” the opposition leader said. He also criticised the chief minister over her meeting with Mr Maharaj, a strong proponent of a separate state of Cooch Behar. “What is the problem with meeting Anant Maharaj? He called me for a cup of tea. You (Suvendu) can call me to your home for a cup of tea, and I will come,” Miss Banerjee said. The West Bengal Assembly passed a similar resolution through a voice vote in February last year against attempts to divide the state.