Echoing BJP Lok Sabha MP Nishikant Dubey's demand for creating a new Union territory from parts of West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand, a saffron party MLA on Friday claimed that he had raised this issue earlier.

West Bengal’s Murshidabad MLA Gouri Sankar Ghosh told reporters on the Assembly premises that on August 2, 2022, he had sent a letter to the President, Prime Minister, Union Home Minister, and West Bengal Governor demanding the same.

In his letter, Ghosh highlighted concerns about illegal border crossings from Bangladesh into West Bengal’s Malda and Murshidabad districts, which he argued could threaten regional and national security.

"I had informed the Centre about Bangladeshi people illegally entering the country through Malda and Murshidabad districts, which could threaten regional and national security," Ghosh said.

He emphasised that the proposal was aimed to safeguard Malda, Murshidabad, and the whole state from anti-India activities and criticised the local administration for its inaction.

Ghosh expressed hope that with the issue being raised by a party MP in the Lok Sabha, the Home Ministry would now address the matter seriously.

"Now I find an MP of my party is raising the issue in Lok Sabha. I hope the Union Home Ministry will seriously look into it now," he added.

In response, TMC leader Kunal Ghosh accused the BJP of attempting to divide people along religious lines and fragment West Bengal following their electoral setbacks. He vowed that the party would resist these efforts vigorously.

Dubey on Thursday demanded that parts of Jharkhand and West Bengal be declared a Union Territory to deal with the challenge posed by the increasing number of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh in the region.

"I demand that Malda, Murshidabad, Araria, Kishanganj, Katihar and the Santhal Parganas be declared as a Union Territory and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) be implemented there," he said.

He said Bangladeshi infiltrators were settling in the region and marrying tribal women, who were contesting elections from seats in the zilla panchayat to the Lok Sabha.

Dubey said the population of Muslims had increased in the Santhal Parganas as people from Malda and Murshidabad districts of West Bengal were coming in large numbers and driving out the Hindu population from the villages in Jharkhand.

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