West Bengal assembly passes resolution under rule 185 against "attempt to divide state in modified mode"

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], August 5 (ANI): With regard to the Centre's reported move to include North Bengal in the northeast council, the West Bengal legislative assembly unanimously adopted a resolution against any kind of division of the state on Monday, the last day of the monsoon session
The two-line resolution read, "We will protect any kind of division of the State at any cost."
In the assembly during her speech on the resolution, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, "We will not allow the partition of West Bengal."
Earlier Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay including Minister Aroop Biswas, Dr Shashi Panja, Biplab Mitra etc. laid the motion under rule 185 regarding an attempt to divide Bengal.
The BJP MLAs started protesting on the language of the motion that mentioned that the minister of state in the Modi govt wanted to include North Bengal in the northeast council implying a veiled approach to separate North Bengal from the rest of the state.
Leader of the opposition Subhendu Adhikari made it clear that the approach of the minister of state (Sukanta Majumdar) was to get a portion of the fund allocated for the northeastern states.
LoP Subhendu Adhikari said, "The central government has allocated 10 per cent of the budget for the development of the seven states of the northeast. If North Bengal is included in the northeast council then we can get the portion of this budget. There is no hidden interest of dividing the state."
The LoP proposed then said that if the ruling party keeps the resolution simple and mentions only the resolution against the division of Bengal then the BJP will be giving full support. "We are against any kind of division of the state," he said.
Responding to the proposal of the LoP, CM Mamata Banerjee appealed to speaker Biman Banerjee to replace the earlier resolution with two two-liner that will clearly mention that all the MLAs are against any kind of division of the state.
"I support united Bengal that's why I welcome LoP's proposal and wish to add his line 'Development of united Bengal' in the second line in the resolution of no division of Bengal," she said.
Further, she added that she felt that if the state is strong, the center is strong.
CM Mamata Banerjee said, "Both are important for each. That's why I joined the Niti Aayog meeting. If they had given me some time there I would have shared the development issues of Bengal. If all states get full funding then why is not Bengal getting funds? I always favour of United India. Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians all are living here together. Northeast Council is only for eight sister states. Sikkim is part of that. Bangal is not the gateway of the great North region. Don't forget Bengal is also the gateway to the southern region. Just because of some interest don't divide Bengal into pieces."
Rashtriya Secular Majlis Party (RSMP) MLA MD Nawsad Siddiqui in favour of united Bengal said, "We never support the division of Bengal. Some of them favour division. They said about Union Territory and separate North Bengal."
Chandrima Bhattacharya minister of West Bengal said this is a shameful thought of the BJP who wish to divide Bengal.
"RS member of BJP Anant Maharaj gave a statement related to greater Coochbehar which indicates he supported his minister Sukanta Majumdar's thought of an indirect Bengal divide. Actually BJP supports and wish to divide Bengal into pieces," she said.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister said that the overall Resolution passed under rule 185 against an attempt to divide Bengal in a modified mode. "A substitute motion by Lop Subhendu Adhikari was added," he added. (ANI)