Jalpaiguri: Dhupguri now subdivision, chief minister 'delighted'
Telegraph | 20 January 2024
The state government came up with a notification on the jurisdiction of the administrative set-up of the new Dhupguri subdivision on Friday, following which the Trinamul top brass underscored how it met its promises to people.
Chief minister and Trinamul supremo Mamata Banerjee and her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, the party’s national general secretary, highlighted the government notification and asserted that “Kotha diye kotha rakhar naam e holo Trinamul” (Trinamul is a party that keeps its word).
Dhupguri, with its jurisdiction spread over two police stations, Dhupguri and Banarhat, will be the third subdivision in Jalpaiguri district.
Mamata, in her official X handle, posted on Friday: “I’m delighted to announce that today the Ma, Mati Manush Government has finally fulfilled a long-standing demand of the people of #Dhupguri. Soon after the declaration of the bypoll results, the initiative to upgrade Dhupguri into a subdivision was set in motion. On October 12, I personally confirmed that the proposal had been passed in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly.”
She said that from Friday, Dhupguri officially attained the status of a subdivision. “This milestone will enhance local residents’ access to education, healthcare, legal assistance and essential amenities. It will also create new opportunities and facilitate improved access to various government schemes and services,” she wrote.
On September 2, 2023, Abhishek at a public meeting ahead of the Assembly bypoll in Dhupguri — the seat had fallen vacant because of the death of the BJP MLA — had announced that Dhupguri would be upgraded to a subdivision by December 31 last year.
Trinamul won the bypoll, with Nirmal Chandra Roy, a professor the party had fielded, becoming the new MLA.
However, the process got delayed as it took time to get approval from the judiciary needed to create a new subdivision.
On Thursday, the chief minister asserted in Calcutta that the issue has been resolved and the judiciary has given its nod.
The state wasted no time in taking the next step. On Friday, the administrative reforms cell under the state personnel and reforms department came up with a notification, stating that from Friday, the Jalpaiguri district was divided into three subdivisions.
“…to divide with effect from the 19th day of January, 2024, the district of Jalpaiguri into sub-divisions of Jalpaiguri Sadar, Dhupguri and Mal…” it said.
Abhishek, in his post on X, added a copy of the notification.
“On September 2, I made a pledge to upgrade DHUPGURI into a SUB DIVISION. Honoured to share that our Maa Mati Manush Govt has fulfilled the pledge. Though miles away, today, when I close my eyes, I see jubilant faces light up in celebration! (sic),” he posted on X.
Political veterans in north Bengal said it was a major decision ahead of Lok Sabha polls.
“It is a major decision and Trinamul has every reason to say it keeps its word. Trinamul will surely raise the issue in a region where the BJP has seven MPs out of the total eight parliamentary seats in north Bengal. It will be interesting to see how the BJP counters it,” said one.