Bengal Govt moves to HC against Centre's decision to withdraw para-military forces

Calcutta High Court will hear a petition, filed by the West Bengal Government seeking judicial order against the Union Government's decision to withdraw para-military forces in trouble-torn Darjeeling hills. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has already dashed off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh with a request not to take off the central forces from the Hills when the situation was gradually returning to normal.

On Sunday the MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) said it will withdraw ten companies of central forces from October 16 and the remaining five from October 20th onwards. However, after a phone call from the Chief Minister to Mr Singh, the latter agreed to reduce it to seven companies only, effective from October 16. Ms Banerjee resented the move of the Centre and said it was a unilateral decision and amounted to violation of the spirit of federal structure. She said it was also violation of Calcutta High Court order of July 16 in which the judges asked the Centre to take care of the State Government demand.

However, with the latest Central Government order, the state counsels today moved an application against the Union Government's decision to withdraw the para-military forces. A hearing is expected around 1400 hours this afternoon.