Darjeeling unrest: TMC seeks BJP MP SS Ahluwalia's resignation over pro-Gorkhaland remark

Kolkata: The West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress on Wednesday demanded resignation of Darjeeling Lok Sabha member SS Ahluwalia of the BJP for his “instigating” remarks on the pro-Gorkhaland agitation in the hills.

Terming his comments as “unconstitutional and trouble-h,” TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee accused Ahluwalia of hurting the integrity and sovereignty of the country with his statements.

Going a step ahead, Chatterjee asked BJP to suspend its Darjeeling member of Parliament forthwith.

“It is highly deplorable the way Ahluwalia is making unconstitutional statements and trying to stoke fire in the hills. He is making provocative statements and trying to undermine the integrity and sovereignty of India,” Chatterjee alleged.

Terming the decision of Gorkha Janamukti Morcha and other hill-based political parties of resigning from the GTA as a “stunt,” the TMC leader said people can see reason behind this “drama.”

Ahluwalia, in a press conference held on Tuesday, had said “The BJP promised in its election manifesto of 2014 that it will sympathetically examine and appropriately consider the long-pending demands of the Gorkhas, the Adivasis and other people of Darjeeling district and the Dooars region. We stand by it.”

The Union minister had said it is a 110-year-old demand and a solution cannot be delivered overnight.

“There is a procedure that has to be followed and the West Bengal government should prepare a political environment for the purpose,” he had said.

Ahluwalia had also called for a “high-level” probe into the alleged police firing in Darjeeling in which three people were killed and demanded compensation from the state government for the victims’ families.

The BJP member of Parliament from Darjeeling termed the firing on unarmed people who were protesting peacefully as “unpardonable” and asked if all other steps to control the agitation were used under the law before giving the firing orders.