Darjeeling crisis: Round 1 goes to Didi as Calcutta HC puts stay on removal of forces

The Calcutta High Court today put stay on the removal of central forces from strife-torn Darjeeling on Tuesday.

The High Court's decision can be termed as victor for West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerje who had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh against troop withdrawal from the region.

The Centre will file an affidavit in the Calcutta High Court by October 23 and the state government will file a reply on October 26. The next date of hearing in the case is on  October 27.

The latest friction between the Centre and Bengal government came after the Union Home Ministry on Sunday informed about the decision of withdrawing seven companies of the CRPF and three companies of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) from Darjeeling and Kalimpong from October 16.

However, a notification from the MHA said that the remaining five companies of the CRPF will continue in the Hills to aid the police force till October 20.

Slamming the BJP for creating a tension in the state, Banerjee had said "BJP is repeatedly trying to disturb the situation in Darjeeling. One BJP minister is directly involved."

"The central government wants Bengal to be destablised, they want Bengal should be divided, and Darjeeling should face an acute problem, so that they can get one (Lok Sabha) seat from Darjeeling," the chief minister had said.

(With agencies input)