BJP adds ‘Gorkha’ in manifesto.........BJP revisits Gorkhaland in amended manifesto

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, April 8: The BJP has made an addition to its Lok Sabha poll manifesto mentioning that it will “sympathetically examine and appropriately consider the long-pending demands of the Gorkhas”.

The addendum dated April 7, 2014, was released after the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha expressed its unhappiness with the BJP, which it is supporting in the Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar constituencies, for not making any mention of “the aspirations of Gorkhas” in its manifesto released yesterday.

The addendum signed by Arun Kumar Jain, the office secretary of the BJP, reads: “Further to the Election Manifesto of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released today for the Lok Sabha Elections of 2014, the BJP reiterates that it will sympathetically examine and appropriately consider the long-pending demands of the Gorkhas, the Adivasis and other people of Darjeeling district and the Dooars region; of the Kamtapuri, Rajbongshi and other people of North Bengal (including recognition of their language); and will take initiatives for the permanent solution of the long-pending issues of the Bodos and other tribals of Assam, the people of Sikkim, Leh, Ladakh, Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep and other such neglected regions.”

The manifesto released yesterday had restated the BJP’s support for smaller states. In the 2009 election manifesto, the BJP had talked about “long-pending the demands of the Gorkhas, the Adivasis and other people of Darjeeling district and the Dooars region”.

This is the first time a BJP manifesto has mentioned the Kamtapuris. The Kamtapur Peoples’ Party, which wants a separate state carved out of north Bengal and four districts of Assam, has supported the BJP in the tea belt that has the Jalpaiguri and Alipuduar seats.

Morcha chief Bimal Gurung today said he was “happy with the seriousness and sincerity” shown by the BJP leadership.

“India is a vast country and there can be mistakes. But we exerted pressure on the BJP. Although it was a matter of just one or two seats for the party, I am happy that it has proved its seriousness and sincerity. The BJP has once again proved it is a party that stands by its word,” Gurung said at a Morcha meeting in Darjeeling.

Binay Tamang, the assistant general secretary of the Morcha, claimed that “immediately” after the manifesto was released, the BJP’s Darjeeling candidate, S.S. Ahluwalia, “called up” Narendra Modi and Rajnath Singh and conveyed the Morcha’s discontent at the lack of any assurance on statehood.

The Morcha is supporting the BJP with the hope that its statehood demand will be addressed.

ENS, Kolkata: A day after releasing its election manifesto, BJP Tuesday sought to “rectify” the omission of explicit mention of Gorkhaland in its manifesto saying that it will “sympathetically examine” demands of Gorkhas in West Bengal and also “take initiatives” for permanent solution of the issues concerning Bodos of Assam.

“The BJP reiterates that it will sympathetically examine and appropriately consider the long pending demands of the Gorkhas, the Adivasis and other people of Darjeeling district and the Dooars region; of the Kamtapuri, Rajbongshi and other people of North Bengal (including recognition of their language); and will take initiatives for the permanent solution of the long pending issues of the Bodos and other tribals of Assam, the people of Sikkim, Leh, Ladakh, Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep and other such neglected regions,” the BJP said in an addendum to its manifesto.
The original manifesto had glossed over the issues regarding Gorkhas and Bodos saying “BJP has always stood for greater decentralization through smaller states.” However, it had not mentioned the names of the communities.
Soon after the amendment was released, Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) president Bimal Gurung sought to take the credit for the move. “The GJM had demanded the inclusion of the sentence — long pending demands of the Gorkhas and Adivasis —- and I am happy that the BJP released an addendum to the manifesto last night,” he said in a Facebook post.
The GJM, which is spearheading the movement for a separate Gorkhaland state, is supporting senior BJP leader S S Ahluwalia who is contesting from Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat.
Sources said the party had made a similar promise in the last election also when senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh contested the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat.
The Trinamool Congress, meanwhile, termed the BJP move as ‘divisive’ politics.