`DON'T BELIEVE NRC RUMOURS' Rivals hit the ground, barbs fly

AVIJIT SINHA, TT, 04 Apr 2019, Siliguri: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday urged the Gorkhas not to get rattled by "rumours" over the National Register of Citizens (NRC), delivering the message to the hills from his Siliguri dais in the foothills.

The BJP mascot also stirred his self-ascribed "chaiwala" label to reach out to tea workers, promising to stand by them and claiming they could have "gained more" had it not been for the Trinamul government in the state.

Buoyed by the presence of many Gorkhas in the audience as flags of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha bearing Bimal Gurung's photo and that of the GNLF fluttered at the ground, Modi was quick to pass the message to the hills.

In the beginning, he described Gorkhas as "people who have done so much for this country" and, while referring to the NRC, said they would not face any problems. "In this part of the state, some people are spreading wrong information on NRC. I assure all Gorkhas that none of you will face any problem and you need not to pay need to such rumours." The assurance comes days after BJP chief Amit Shah told a rally in Alipurduar on March 29 that NRC would be launched in Bengal to identify and drive out infiltrators if the party returned to power. Several parties, including the Binay Tamang faction of the Morcha and the CPM, had seized on the BJP chief's statement and said the NRC would pose a problem for thousands of hill residents who do not have land rights as proof of citizenship.

BJP leaders, including Darjeeling candidate Raju Bista, sensed the campaign by rivals on NRC could hobble the party's renewed efforts to shore up support in the hills, particularly after it got the GNLF on board as an ally. "The BJP feels it (Modi's assurance) will prevent other parties from harping on NRC after the issue suddenly gained ground in parts of north Bengal," an analyst said.

NRC out of the way, Modi reached out for tea sweeteners. "Conditions of tea workers have improved in the region. They could have gained some more but it could not happen because of the government here. This chaiwala wants to assure you that he is always with you. In Assam, our (BJP) government is helping tea workers....Here too, we will work for them and also for the Koch and Rajbanshis." In north Bengal, tea workers and garden dwellers are the key to outcomes in at least three constituencies: Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee questioned Modi's assertions on NRC. "The people of Assam are facing lots of problems due to NRC and now they (the BJP) want to do it here. Also, whether it is tea workers or the Rajbanshis, his government has done nothing for them," Mamata said at a rally in Cooch Behar's Dinhata.

Tamang, who heads the other Morcha faction and is a Trinamul ally, demanded Modi give in writing that NRC would not be implemented for all Gorkhas in India. "Back in 2014, he had said a Gorkha's dream is his dream. But this time, he seems to have forgotten it." said the GTA chairman.

Additional input by Vivek Chhetri in Darjeeling.