Gurung Claim on ST tag

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeelhig: Leaders of the Bimal Gurung camp of the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha on Friday claimed that Union tribal minister Jual Oram had said work was on to place a bill in the winter session of Parliament to grant 11 hill communities Scheduled Tribe status.

Within hours of the claim being made in the social media, Binay Tamang issued a counter-statement, asking the BJP not to indulge in electoral politics on the issue and threatening to hit the streets if the bill was not placed this time around.

A statement posted by Roshan Giri but attributed to R.P. Waiba of the Bimal camp said; "A delegation led by Darjeeling MP SS Ahluwalia today called on Union Tribal Minister Jual Oram on the issue of granting tribal status to 11 commuinities and placing the bill in the winter session. The minister promised that work in that direction was being done."

Tamang said: "How many times does the BJP need to be reminded to place a bill in Parliament? They should immediately place the bill in the winter session or else, the Morcha will hit the streets against the BJP."