January 31, 2013
Chief Minister reiterates her stand on GTA movement, says will not tolerate any bloodshed
West Bengal Chief Minister Ms. Mamata Banerjee on the last day of her North Bengal tour addressed the Press at the NHPC Bungalow at Siliguri. The Chief Minister on Thursday morning before leaving for Kolkata took questions from journalists. During the half-an-hour interaction many question were asked from successful implementation of peace and bringing development in the Hills to her North Bengal trip and even the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) issue.
The Chief Minister made it clear that under no circumstances Government will tolerate violence, `Political parties or factions may have difference of opinion and express through agitation but I will not tolerate any bloodshed`, said the Chief Minister who requested the locals across the Hills to realize that violence will lead nowhere and will only obstruct the development process in the hills. `I request you to have a look around at the development taking place, if violence will take place again then all the tourism will stop. I am sure nobody wants this to take place`, she added. She expressed hope that the factions who are agitating will understand that Darjeeling is an integral part of Bengal and will give up their agitation.
The Chief Minister referred to the new tourism centre at Algarah, 15 km east of Kalimpong in Darjeeling district. On Wednesday the Chief Minister on her way to Siliguri stopped at this place and found it interesting from tourism point of view. Immediately, she instructed her officials to take note of the place and make a survey as how to develop Algarah in a tourist centre close on the lines of Lamahata which too was a finding of the Chief Minister during one of her visits to North Bengal some months back. `We are also creating an Eco Tourism destination at Gajoldoba`, she said.
The Chief Minister informed that her Government plans to constitute a Buddhist Development Council on the lines of Lepcha Development Council.
The Chief Minister said that she will be back in the Hills by March or April this year when she will also inaugurate the Film City.
