Bengal government on alert as more refugees cross over
State’s ruling party is accused of playing with fire for political gains
Kolkata: West Bengal government is on high-alert as more people pour into Bengal to take shelter in the refugee camps opened by the government in the wake of ethnic violence in Assam.
The government is worried about a communal clash that may occur as more than 8,000 refugees have taken shelter in the six camps presently operational in Bengal. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has reaffirmed her support to the people who have crossed over, and her concern was palpable.
Speaking to Gulf News over phone, Banerjee said: “Bengal government had been proving shelter to the people who have crossed over and will continue to do so, but we will not tolerate any kind of communal violence in our state. I have asked the district administration to remain vigilant and take any precautionary measures if necessary to ensure that no clashes take place inside Bengal.”
However, other political parties blame Banerjee for trying to make political grounds for her party Trinamool Congress (TMC) at the expense of the state. “TMC has political ambitions in Assam, and hence they have allowed so many people to come into Bengal at the expense of the state, where they believe that they will be able to use them as political leverage in the future,” said a state Congress leader, unwilling to be named.
“We have been urging the government to seal the borders from the very beginning, but it continues to play with fire,” said Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly Surya Kanta Mishra.
The respective district administrations are taking all precautionary measures to ensure peace. “Of the six refugee camps, two are at Tufanganj in Cooch Behar district, three in Kumargram and Alipurduar II blocks of Jalpaiguri district and one in Siliguri in Darjeeling district. Initially, the displaced people from Chirang in upper Assam moved to the camps in Jalpaiguri district. But as more and more people started arriving, they were shifted to Tufanganj and Siliguri,” said an official.
The police have posted teams in sensitive areas and are monitoring all SMS/MMS and information that are being circulated among the refugees. “Chances of provocative action are very high in the area. Earlier, there were at least 8,000 refugees who all are Muslims. Any slightest provocation can lead to serious consequences. Since the density of Bodos and Rabha tribes is high in the bordering areas, a high alert has been issued,” said a senior police officer.
“The situation is of course very vulnerable since the people are agitated about the incidents in Assam. But we have deployed adequate force in the bordering villages,” said North Bengal Development Minister Gautam Deb.
