August 12, 2013
People of Bengal will never allow another division of the State
Excerpts of AITMC MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy’s speech on August 12, 2013 in RS:
The fact remains that for decades together successive government at the Centre did not accede to the demand for separate Telengana for reasons better known to them, but in December 2009 the Central Govt. unilaterally decided for formation of a separate Telengana state. Although the decision was put on hold for long 4 years, now, keeping an eye on the forthcoming Lok Sabha election the Govt. is reportedly going ahead with the formation of Telengana without addressing the problems of Seemandhra, Rayalaseema and the related issues. This announcement has opened a Pandora’s Box all over the country as already there are demands for 20 different states all over the Country. So it has created a huge impact all over the country, this is not only limited to Telengana or Andhra region but as my friend from Assam has said, Assam is burning, also parts of Bengal is burning.
Kindly take the example of Gorkhaland. GTA was formed pursuant to a tripartite agreement to which the Central Govt. is signatory, the State Govt. is signatory and the GJM is signatory. As soon as the Telengana announcement was made the GTA chief unilaterally resigned and also started demanding a separate state of Gorkhaland. What will be the formation of Gorkhaland if at all the demand is heard sympathetically, Hills of Darjeeling comprising half a district. Can such a tiny state be formed comprising half a district, half a parliamentary seat and 3 assembly segments? Is there any state in India with such a tiny territory? If we concede to such demands then there will be demands for city states as it existed in ancient Greece like Sparta, Troy, Athens and Olympia. The cities are sovereign states, with their own monarch, own currency, own solders and only a tiny territorial area. Already someone has demanded that Mumbai should be a separate state, tomorrow someone will ask Bengaluru should be a separate state or for that matter Jaipur should be a separate state. Whether the Govt. of India is going to accede to such demands from different parts of the Country, the entire Country is engulfed with fire of division, the divisive forces, and the fissiparous element. They are raising their ugly heads everywhere with the announcement of separate Telengana. Therefore I think a serious re-look to the situation should be made by the Govt. immediately, otherwise the entire country will experience a very volatile situation.
Bengal has once withstood the shock and trauma, irreparable loss and damage, due to partition in 1947. We have not forgotten the experience generations together, we are suffering for that partition even today. Therefore we cannot afford another division of the state, the people of Bengal will never allow such demand for division of the State.
Therefore, I want a clear clarification from the Hon`ble Ministry in charge of Home Affairs because they are having secret meetings with the agitators very often and they are encouraged with the reported assurances being given by the Central Ministers from time to time. I would urge upon the Central Ministers, they are responsible people, they should act responsibly, and they should not encourage the fissiparous elements in my State.
Finally, I therefore want a clarification from the Hon`ble Ministry in charge of Home Affairs whether the Central Govt. will allow a demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland or not in no unclear terms. The Home Minister should assure the nation because the mandarins of North Block and South Block are miserably failed in tackling the situation and therefore every where we are suffering. This is my humble request.
