Ram Madhav slams Mamata Banerjee for shutdown in Darjeeling

BJP general secretary Ram Madhav on Sunday slammed the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal for the three-and-half shutdown in the Darjeeling hills over the demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland.

Madhav, who was speaking to reporters at the Sikkim BJP office near here, repeatedly referred to the region as Gorkhaland.

"The Bengal government is squarely responsible for the situation in Gorkhaland ... Because of its cruel behaviour, the Gorkhaland issue is simmering," he alleged.

Madhav, who is also the party's in-charge of Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast, said it is the West Bengal government's responsibility to address the grievances of people to restore peace and normalcy in Darjeeling.

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha-led shutdown was called off on September 26 following requests by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

PTI