Siliguri, 13th January: Political tensions escalated in Siliguri following questions raised by Darjeeling MP Raju Bista on Siliguri Mayor Gautam Deb during the Vivek Yatra held to mark Swami Vivekananda’s 164th birth anniversary. In response, Mayor Gautam Deb delivered a sharp counter during a public outreach programme.
Mayor Deb referred to MP Raju Bista as an “outsider,” stating that he has no connection to Bengal’s soil or culture. He added that Bista neither speaks Bengali nor understands the traditions and sentiments associated with being a “son of the soil.”
The Mayor further pointed out that Bista hails from Manipur and resides in Delhi, questioning his direct relevance to the people of Bengal. Deb said he did not feel obliged to respond to the MP’s allegations and stressed that Bista should account to the public for any concrete development work he has undertaken in the region.
Deb concluded by asserting that the people of Siliguri are aware of the facts and will pass judgment in due course, signaling that political debates in the city are likely to intensify in the coming days.