Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday blamed neighbouring Sikkim and ‘foreign forces’ for the problems here and accused them of “funding people to create unrest in the Hills here”. The CM was speaking at a police programme at Chowrastha here, the Himal Tarai Dooars Sports Festival-2017 prize distribution ceremony, where she handed over prizes to around 60 winners who had participated in different sports events organized by the police in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts and in Siliguri.

“Darjeeling has name and fame, and some people surrounding us want to do away with this. If any trouble erupts here, it is Sikkim that gains as tourists go there. Sikkim provides help here by providing funds so there is unrest here. I want peace in Sikkim also, but why do they want to create unrest here?” Miss Banerjee said.

It may be mentioned here that Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha leader Binoy Tamang had also spoken against Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling and had warned him against meddling in the Hill affairs. “Tourists go to Sikkim, but Darjeeling is also not less beautiful than Sikkim. There is greenery in Darjeeling, which is not there in other places.

In fact, it is more beautiful than Switzerland. Whenever I start development work here, there is disturbance and you all fall back 10 years. Darjeeling cannot be bought by money, but by love,” she said. Maintaining that politics of bandhs should be stopped, she said, “Bengal will not lose anything if there is a strike in Darjeeling, but the loss will be yours. When strikes are called, they only hurt us as we love Darjeeling. If a strike is called here, tourists will not come, so what will the shopkeepers and the business communities do? If children do not go to school, their education will be affected.”

The CM further said that she came to Darjeeling time and again not to ask for votes, but to see if Darjeeling was doing good. “The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration was formed after a period of five years, but the elected members resigned. However, we did not want it to be run by the government, but by your own people, and we are only helping them.

Darjeeling is your place and you should run it and stay peacefully here. It should be taken care of properly for the future generations,” she said. Stating that she would try to hold an Industrial meet in Darjeeling between March and April, she said, “Like Mr Tamang has demanded, I also want an Industrial hub here, with many industries like the tourism industry and the IT industry.

Orchids can be exported, while vegetables are also good here. However, industrialists are afraid that their industries would be torched if they build them here. You have to change that sort of an environment here.” She also took potshots at the Centre and said, “Binoy and Anit (Thapa) have told me in Kolkata that they have been demanding a central university for the Hills, but that the demand has not been met. I tell you not to beg from them. I am there, and I will set up a university here.

We do not have to beg from Delhi, but we will work with whatever we have, which is my promise on Wednesday.” Apart from handing over cheques and prizes to winners of the various sports events, she also gave away appointment letters to Special Civic Volunteers and 10 female participants who excelled in sports. Monetary compensation of Rs 2 lakh each was also given to family members of five martyrs who died in the recent agitation. The GTA had shortlisted nine martyrs, but only five families attended the programme on Wednesday. on Tuesday, she is scheduled to attend a GTA review meeting.