Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday iterated again her stand against the further division of Bengal in the presence of some of the proponents of separate states and called upon representatives of political, social and religious organisations to join hands and keep the state united.

The chief minister’s remarks came in the wake of renewed calls for separate states by a number of organisations and parties in the plains and the hills of north Bengal.

“I would urge you all not to react on instigations… we do not want any further partition of Bengal. We have stayed together and will keep on staying together. There are some people who play divisive cards for their own interests and want to create tension among people. People of this state will never respond to them,” Mamata said while speaking at the Vijaya Sanmilani at Kawakhali ground in Siliguri on Wednesday afternoon.

In the past few months, the demands for separate states like Gorkhaland and Greater Cooch Behar or Kamtapur or north Bengal were raised by a number of organisations.

A resolution was passed in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Sabha recently seeking the formation of the new state. The GTA is helmed by the Bharatiya Gorkha Prakjatantrik Morcha whose chief is Anit Thapa.

In the plains, two factions of the Greater Cooch Behar Peoples’ Association and outfits like the Kamtapur Progressive Party and Kamtapur Peoples’ Party (United) organised different events in support of the statehood demand.

The chief minister sent the message of united Bengal on Wednesday in the presence of Ananta Maharaj and Bangshibadan Barman, who head the two factions of the GCPA, and Thapa.

“All of us will have to work together. I would urge religious leaders, representatives of social organisations and the people to abstain from instigations. If we stay together, north Bengal will become stronger...,” said the chief minister.