BJP leader Ahluwalia cautions West Bengal government to stop use of force in Darjeeling

NEW DELHI: Stating that dialogue is the only way out to end the agitation in the Darjeeling Hills, the sole Lok Sabha MP from there and BJP leader SS Ahluwalia cautioned the West Bengal government to stop the use of force. The BJP leader argued that only a tripartite talk could give a solution to the issue of Darjeeling.

Speaking to reporters in the Parliament, Ahluwalia rued the killing of protestors in the hill region, saying that the police actions cannot be forgiven. He demanded that a high-level probe is ordered in the police firing in which three protesters were killed in the hilly region of North Bengal. Members of the Gorkhland Movement Cooperation also attended the media briefing addressed by Ahluwalia. Incidentally, former Union Minister and senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh had earlier represented Darjeeling in Lok Sabha.

The BJP leader said that the agitating leaders in the region should end their fast while promising that he would seek the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Home Affairs Rajnath Singh in resolving the issue. He also exhorted the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal to engage the agitating leaders in talks. Ahluwalia, while noting the patriotism and bravery of the locals, hoped that the agitation would end by August 15.