Government Dismisses Social Media Claims of New Union Territory Near Siliguri Corridor as False

The Indian government has firmly denied circulating social media claims that it plans to create a new Union Territory by combining districts from Bihar and West Bengal near the strategic Siliguri Corridor.

On Saturday, the Press Information Bureau (PIB), the government’s official fact-checking agency, issued a clear statement dismissing these rumors as completely unfounded. “Social media posts are claiming that the government is planning to create a new Union Territory comprising districts from Bihar and West Bengal near the Siliguri corridor. This claim is Fake,” the PIB stated in a post on the social media platform X.

The agency emphasized that no such proposal is being considered by the Indian government and urged the public to verify information through official channels before sharing content online. “There is no such proposal under consideration by the Government of India,” the PIB reiterated, warning against the spread of misleading information.

The clarification came in response to widespread social media posts suggesting that the central government was contemplating the formation of a new Union Territory to bolster security in the strategically sensitive Siliguri Corridor region. These unverified claims specified that the proposed territory would incorporate several districts, including Purnea, Araria, Kishanganj, and Katihar from Bihar, along with Malda and Uttar Dinajpur from West Bengal.

The rumors appeared designed to gain traction by highlighting the corridor’s critical importance to India’s national security framework. The Siliguri Corridor, commonly known as India’s “Chicken’s Neck,” represents a vital geographic feature with significant strategic implications for the country.

This narrow strip of land in northern West Bengal measures approximately 20-22 kilometers wide and extends about 60 kilometers in length. Despite its limited physical dimensions, the corridor serves as the sole land connection between mainland India and its eight northeastern states—Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Sikkim.

The corridor functions as a critical economic, transportation, and military lifeline for more than 45 million residents of northeastern India. Its strategic importance stems from its position sandwiched between Nepal and Bangladesh, with China’s Tibet Autonomous Region located just north of the corridor.

Security analysts have long considered the Siliguri Corridor a potential vulnerability in India’s territorial integrity, particularly given tensions with neighboring countries. Any disruption to this passage could effectively isolate the northeastern states from the rest of India, creating significant national security and logistical challenges.

This is not the first time rumors about administrative reorganization in sensitive border regions have circulated on Indian social media platforms. Such claims often emerge against the backdrop of India’s complex border relationships and ongoing territorial disputes with neighboring countries.

The government’s swift rebuttal highlights its concern about misinformation that could potentially create unnecessary public anxiety or political tensions, particularly in border states where administrative changes can be sensitive issues with regional political implications.

The PIB continues to play an active role in countering false information circulating online, regularly issuing clarifications on government policies and proposals through its fact-checking division, which was established specifically to combat misinformation in the digital space.