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Central forces rushed to West Bengal

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Union Home Ministry on Thursday rushed nearly 1,000 Central paramilitary force personnel to West Bengal to deal with the situation in north Bengal and the hills of Darjeeling.

“We have despatched 10 companies [about 1,000 personnel] drawn from the Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force and Sashstra Seema Bal to West Bengal,” a Home Ministry spokesman said.

He said the additional forces had been sent following a request from the State government.

In a related development, the Central Secretariat of the Communist Party of India (CPI) has expressed deep concern over the “deteriorating” law and order situation in Darjeeling and the surrounding areas. The party urged the West Bengal government to convene an all-party meeting. “It should not allow the situation to further deteriorate and turn into a confrontation between the communities inhabiting the region,” it said.

The CPI, in a statement, said the Left Front government in West Bengal should take the initiative to hold talks without any condition with the leaders of the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha and other interested parties and groups to amicably resolve the dispute.

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