Back those who love hills: CM.... development boards for the Rai and Limbu communities

Mamata (extreme left) and Harka Bahadur Chhetri (extreme right) at the foundation
day celebration of the West Bengal Sherpa Cultural Board in Darjeeling on Friday. Picture by Suman Tamang

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, Jan. 22: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee today requested the people of Darjeeling to support those who loved their region and said development had eluded the hills because of agitations.

She did not blame the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, nor did she name Harka Bahadur Chhetri, who quit the hill party and is set to float his outfit on January 27.

Chhetri is known to be close to Mamata.

The chief minister made the appeal at the first foundation day of the West Bengal Sherpa Cultural Board at St Joseph's School (North Point) ground at Singamari.

"I have been coming to north Bengal every two-three months for the past four-and-a-half years. I have visited (north Bengal) almost 100 times and this is to develop contact with common people. Development has not taken place in the region for long. I want to turn this place (hills) into Switerzland, but with agitations how can there be development?" Mamata said.

Mamata was addressing the crowd barely 300 meters from the Morcha's head office and all shops at Singamari were shut today. Morcha president Bimal Gurung denied that the party had anything to do with shops being shut in the area. "Why should we ask people to close their shops. People of the area probably don't like Mamata Banerjee."

Mamata said: "I want to appeal to young brothers and sisters, mothers of the hills and to all. I want to do something good for the hills and help those who love Darjeeling."

Kalimpong MLA Chhetri was also on the dais.

Mamata said she had no ill feelings towards anyone. "I don't speak even against those who are against me," she said.

Yesterday, without mentioning the Morcha by name, Mamata said arson would not work, and requested hill politicians to talk to the state government.

Sources in the hills said Mamata wanted a line of communication with the Morcha because Chhetri, who led most of the political talks, had quit the party. Besides, Mamata wanted peace in the hills before the Assembly elections.

The chief minister declared that she would soon form development boards for Rais (Khambus) and Limbus.

"I will soon form development boards for the Rai and Limbu communities. The minorities (Muslim in the hills) have also made a similar request, along with Biswakarma community. Similar requests are also being made by various tribal communities in the Dooars and Terai. We will look into all these demands.... Till date, we have sanctioned Rs 131 crore for the development boards and they are doing a good job," Mamata said.

The Biswakarmas are Scheduled Castes.

The Mamata government has already created development boards for the Lepchas, Tamangs, Sherpas, Bhutia and Mangars. This is the first time she has hinted at forming development boards for communities in the plains.

Interacting with the media this evening, Gurung said the chief minister created problems whenever she came to the hills. "Every time she comes to the hills, she gives pain to the people. She has made so many announcements but hardly anything has happened in the hills. Development is taking place in the hills only through the GTA."

He also said: "We are not creating trouble in the hills. In fact, she addressed a meeting close to our party office peacefully today. I am ready to go and meet her provided she declares that she will not adopt the divide and rule policy and agrees to talk on Gorkhaland."

According to him, development boards should be formed for all hill communities.

Gurung today accused Mamata of indulging in "vote politics". "All that she is doing is to indulge in vote politics. Also, I am no Harka Bahadur Chhetri," he said.