BJP lawmaker Ahluwalia visits relief camps in Alipurduar

Alipurduar, West Bengal: BJP MP from Darjeeling SS Ahluwalia today alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was not serious about the condition of Assam refugees who have come to the state following the last week’s NDFB(S) militants attack, killing 81 lives.

Ahluwalia, who was accompanied by the West Bengal BJP general secretary Biswapriyo Roy Chowdhury and four other party leaders to the relief camps in Kumargram, said Banerjee during her recent visit to the same camps did not show her concern about the inmates’ plights by taking up their safe passage issue with Assam chief minister and Union home minister and instead just made a “token sojourn” to the area.

The BJP leader also interacted with the inmates of six relief camps spread over Changmari, Malapara, Dakshin Haldibari areas of Kumargram and called upon the two governments of Assam and West Bengal to ensure their safe return by setting up Army pickets.

The team will submit a report to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah about the visit.

Over one thousand people from three Lower Assam districts – Kokrajhar, Sonitpur and Chirang – were lodged in six relief camps in the district, state officials said.

But local people and opposition political parties claim the number will run into thousands.

PTI