We feel a separate Siliguri district should be created comprising all 47 wards, including 14 wards that fall in Jalpaiguri district, and Chopra.
Image source Twitter (@INCWestBenga)
Three days after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced the creation of seven new districts in the state, the Congress has raised the demand for a separate Siliguri district. “We welcome the decision to create the new Sundarbans district out of South 24 Parganas, but the decision for the creation of other districts was politically motivated. The decision has been taken to earn dividends in the rural body elections next year.
The government did not consider Siliguri for a separate district. We had raised the issue on the floor of the Assembly in 2018 and also met and requested Miss Banerjee in Siliguri in 2014 on the same issue,” said Darjeeling district Congress (Plains) president Sankar Malakar.
The party held a march here today to press for the demand. “Siliguri is the undeclared capital of north Bengal, the major commercial hub in the region, the most important town after Kolkata, but it has remained ignored.
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We feel a separate Siliguri district should be created comprising all 47 wards, including 14 wards that fall in Jalpaiguri district, and Chopra. There is a lack of political will in the ruling party. We appeal to all people, irrespective of their party colour, to raise their voice strongly for this demand,” Mr Malakar said.
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