Kolkata, July 26 (Representative) Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday alleged there is an attempt to divide West Bengal, Assam, Bihar and Jharkhand.Condemning this alleged attempt, Banerjee said her party Trinamool Congress does not support this divisive attitude and so she would like to voice her protest in the NITI Aayog meeting in New Delhi. The meeting is scheduled to be held on July 27. Leaving before the national capital, TMC supremo alleged the recent Central budget (2024-25) was discriminatory and totally politically biased depriving the opposition states. “I will protest against the political discrimination being inflictedupon Bengal at the NITI Aayog meeting. The budget has shown cleardiscrimination against Bengal and other opposition states, and wecannot accept this,” Banerjee, accompanied by her nephew andTMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, told reporters.She also alleged that Bengal was facing economic blockade,geographical blockade, political blockade and other discrimination andnow there was attempts to divide Bengal, Bihar, Assam and Jharkhand. The CM blamed the central minister and BJP, accusing them of attemptingto divide West Bengal while imposing economic and geographicalblockades on the state. “The attitude of ministers and BJP aims to divide Bengal and this isgoing on when the Parliament is sitting,” the TMC chairperson said.
“Dividing Bengal means dividing our country, India. We want to voiceour concerns about this issue, and I will be present to do so. If theyallow me to speak, I will, otherwise, I will protest and leave themeeting,” she added.She said Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren is also going to attend NITI Aayog meeting and “We will together speak on behalf of otherstates.” Union minister and BJP’s West Bengal unit president Sukanta Majumdarhas presented a proposal to Prime minister Narendra Modifor inclusion of north Bengal districts with the North Eastern Council(NEC) , which could enable the area for rapid development as well asmonetary assistance from the Centre. “I have submitted a presentation personally to Prime ministerNarendra Modi for incorporation of north Bengal with Northeast as theareas have very similarities and it is upto the PM to decide upon thematter, “ Majumdar told reporters on Wednesday. He said if the proposal was admitted, which is subject to the centralmatter, then the areas of north Bengal could develop rapidly and mayhave monetary assistance like the North Eastern Council (NEC) is now getting. Currently eight states, including Sikkim, are part of NEC.