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ST call: Centre cites `Nepal inflow' fear...RGI is of the opinion that "inflow of Nepalese immigrants" increase if granted tribal status

ST call: Centre cites `Nepal inflow' fear...RGI is of the opinion that "inflow of Nepalese immigrants" increase if granted tribal status

VIVEK CHHETRI, TT, 9 February 2019:  An RTI reply from the Union ministry of tribal affairs suggests the Registrar-General of India is of the opinion that the "inflow of Nepalese immigrants" increase if 10 hill communities are granted tribal status,
Bishal Rai, an adviser to the youth wing of the Jana Andolan Party, received the RTI reply dated January 14,2019. It clearly states that the proposals of both the Sikkim and the Bengal governments to grant tribal status to the 10 communities have been rejected twice by the registrar-general,
However, observers believe the registrar-general's reference to "Nepalese immigrants" is likely to alienate the Indian Gorkhas from the BJP, which was earlier perceived to be sympathetic to their concerns.
Comments made by the tribal ministry in reference to the proposal of the Sikkim government have been enclosed in the reply to Rai, The registrar-general has pointed out that the 10 communities are spread in many states and "there would be similar demands from people of Nepalese origin from these states".
"Inflow of Nepalese immigrants will further increase if the said communities are granted ST status," says a letter from Kameshwar Ojha, additional registrar-general, sent to Rajesh Aggarwal, joint secretary in the ministry, on March 24, 2017. The letter is mentioned in the RTI reply.
There is no suggestion the ST demand has been turned down by the registrar-general only because of the apprehension of "inflow of Nepalese immigrants". The registrar-general has outlined the reasons why these communities do not fulfil various conditions required for recognition as STs.
"The consequences of specifying all these communities as STs will be, that almost all permanent residents of Sikkim will be Scheduled Tribes, and the more backward communities like Lepcha and Bhutia (who are Scheduled Tribes) would be disadvantaged," the registrar-general says. The suggestion is there will be more claimants for the ST quota,
However, observers believe the reference to the "inflow of Nepalese immigrants" could rankle with the Indian Gurkhas, who have always believed in a distinct Indian identity, Politics in the Darjeeling hills has largely revolved are the identity issue and distinctness from Nepalese citizens,
"The BJP talks about being sympathetic to the Indian Gorkhas, On the other hand, its government brings out this reference, This is nothing but double speak," said Rai.
Most hill parties want the scrapping of a clause in the 1950 undo-Nepal Friendship Treaty.

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