BJP, not Mamata govt promotes separatism: TMC MLA on WB test paper row

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], January 18 : Amid the row over the so-called "Azad Kashmir" question in West Bengal Class 10 test paper, Trinamool Congress leader Tapas Roy on Wednesday said the Mamata Banerjee government is always against separatist movements while alleged Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of encouraging separatism.
"BJP is in the habit of making allegations, our party in the leadership of Mamata Banerjee is always against separatist movements. It is BJP that encourages separatism in Cooch Behar and Darjeeling. They should not talk anything about TMC," Roy told ANI.
A political row has erupted after a picture of a Class 10 practice test paper directing students to mark the so-called "Azad Kashmir" on map went viral.
Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir is dubbed as Azad Kashmir in Pakistan.
The image of the test paper was shared on social media by various BJP leaders including state president Sukanta Majumdar and national vice president Dilip Ghosh accusing the Mamata Banerjee government of trying to "create anti-India mentality" among the young minds.
The practice tests paper books are published by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE).
Union Minister of State for Education Subhas Sarkar alleged that the question setter is "inspiring terrorism" and sought an immediate end to the sale of the book.
"The paper setter is anti-national. He is inspiring terrorism. This is shameful. The West Bengal Education Minister should write to him and this test paper cell should be shut immediately. I will apprise the Union Education Ministry about this and cognizance would be taken of it," Sarkar told ANI.
Dilip Ghosh slammed the TMC government calling it a supporter of "separatist forces". He alleged that the state government has been turning West Bengal into a "hotspot" for extremists.
Taking to Twitter, Ghosh said, "Paschim Banga Madhya Shiksha Parshad is not only corrupt or they have just sold jobs, now the Mamata government is also nurturing many pro-Pakistani people and they are the ones who want to convert Kashmir, an integral part of India, into Azad Kashmir. Such ideas can only be propagated by extremists and there is no doubt that Paschim Banga has become a hotspot for extremists."
"The Mamata government is a supporter of the separatist forces. Check the Marked Section of the History Question Paper on page 132 in Madhyamik Test Paper 2023. Students have been asked to identify the part of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as Azad Kashmir," Ghosh said.
The BJP national vice president further accused the Mamata Banerjee government of "trying to create anti-India mentality".
"This state government is not only supporting militants but also trying to create an anti-India mentality among young students. TMC means Corruption, Lies and Terrorism," added Ghosh.
West Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar slammed the Mamata Banerjee government over the issue and termed it as the "worst kind of appeasement". He questioned the TMC government whether it is promoting "secessionism".
"Breaking India forces have penetrated deep into the education system of West Bengal. The mention of "Azad Kashmir" in a test paper is worrisome. Is the State Government promoting secessionism? Their intent is malafide. Shame," tweeted Majumdar.
"Students have been asked to mark the Azad Kashmir in WB Madhyamik exam paper. Does the CM Mamata Banerjee endorse such views? This is the worst kind of appeasement by the TMC government. This is condemnable. Strict action should be taken against the people who did this," he tweeted.
Meanwhile, the national spokesperson of the Trinamool Congress Riju Dutta termed the paper an "individual mistake" and said that the state government has initiated strict action into the matter.