Minister's proposal to include N. Bengal in DoNER stirs separatism debate

Union minister Sukanta Majumdar on Wednesday said he had proposed the inclusion of northern West Bengal under the ministry of DoNER (development of North Eastern region) to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the "development of the region".

However, his suggestion sparked controversy as West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) labelled it an attempt to separate the region from the state.

In a video statement, Majumdar, also the state BJP chief, said, "Today, I met the prime minister and proposed that as north Bengal shares similarities with the Northeast, if north Bengal, while still being part of West Bengal, could be included in the Northeast under DoNER, the region would receive more development funds for various projects. I don't think the state government would oppose this idea as it is for the development of the state."

When contacted by PTI, Majumdar clarified, "I had proposed inclusion of the north Bengal region, which has many similarities with the Northeast, under the ministry of development of the North Eastern region (DoNER). This would allow funds allocated for the northeastern region to also be used for the development of north Bengal. This has nothing to do with dividing or separating the state."

The TMC responded swiftly, calling it an attempt to divide the state. Senior TMC leader and MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy said, "This is a separatist move by a Union minister, violating the oath of office under the Constitution. North Bengal is an integral part of West Bengal.

"Even the Prime Minister doesn't have the power to entertain such an unconstitutional and illegal demand. This is an evil plan by the BJP to divide West Bengal, as they have been losing elections in the state since 2011."

The idea of separation of north Bengal has been a topic of debate since the BJP's loss in the 2021 Assembly elections. Some BJP leaders, including former Union minister and ex-MP from Alipurduar, John Barla, have previously suggested creating a Union Territory comprising north Bengal districts. The TMC had previously accused the BJP of encouraging separatism.