BJP bats for Gorkhaland

Siliguri, March 19 (IANS) BJP vice president S.S. Ahluwalia Wednesday asserted that his party was in favour of creating smaller states, and said the demand for a separate Gorkhaland was not unconstitutional.

Ahluwalia, who is contesting from the Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency, criticised the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal for its "vengeful attitude" towards the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) which has been demanding Gorkhaland.

"BJP is in favour of creating smaller states for better administration. We have always maintained that the problems and concerns of both the Gorkhas and the tribals here will be considered sympathetically," the Bharatiya Janata Party leader told reporters.

"People, who are against the division of the state have the constitutional right to oppose, but at the same time the Gorkhas by demanding a separate state are also not asking for anything unconstitutional," said Ahluwalia.

Ahluwalia said a BJP delegation will meet the Election Commission against the "wrongful" arrest of GJM activists.

"In the garb of the EC's order, the Trinamool government is vengefully issuing warrants against GJM activists. Moreover, in a show of favouritism, warrants have not been issued against those GJM activists who have switched to Trinamool.

"Ever since the GJM entered into an alliance with us, the Trinamool government has issued over 1,000 warrants. This is nothing but to create panic. A BJP committee will be meeting the EC in this regard," he said.

Earlier in the day, GJM supremo Bimal Gurung called upon the people of the region to support the BJP to achieve its long cherished goal of a separate state.