Bista glare on statehood protest deaths

VIVEK CHHETRI, TT,  02 Jul 2019, Darjeeling: Darjeeling MP Raju Bista delivered his maiden speech in the Lok Sabha on Monday, demanding that a "fact-finding team be formed" to look into the "atrocities in Bengal".

The BJP leader also hit out at a recent House speech of Trinamul MP Mahua Moitra in which she listed "signs of fascism" by referring to deaths that allegedly occurred during the statehood agitation in the Darjeeling hills in 2017.

Bista accused the Trinamul government of "fomenting trouble" in the region despite the area being sensitive and surrounded by four international borders.

"My entire area is in an emergency like situation because it is a very sensitive area and is surrounded by four international borders. Despite this, the government there, the TMC's government is always fomenting trouble due to which there is regular political violence," said Bista.

The Darjeeling MP said that after the 2017 protest the state machinery was indulging in "goondaraj".

"Even today, 5000 youths have fled their homes and are forced to stay in jungles. Police arrests anyone, implicates in a false case on a suo-mottu basis and is thrown in jail," said Bista who claimed than an 80year old ex-serviceman had been manhandled.

Bista demanded that a factfinding team should be formed. "I, through your honour, want a fact-finding team to be formed to look into the atrocities across Bengal and especially in north Bengal and Darjeeling," said Bista.

The Darjeeling MP said that this was necessary for restoration of democracy.

Since the Lok Sabha results were announced, violence has rocked many parts of Bengal.

The parliamentarian, who won the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat by over 4 lakh votes also took a dig at Trinamul MP, Mahua Moitra, whose maiden speech in the Lok Sabha on "signs of fascism" was a talking point across the nation.

"TMC MP was teaching us on fascism. I want to ask her, when 11 Gorkha brothers were killed in the middle of the road, why was she silent then?" questioned Bista. "The Gorkhas who play an important in the security of the country are feeling insecure." Bista also attended a memorial ceremony in Parliament to commemorate the 106th birth anniversary of INA freedom fighter Saheed Durga Malla. "It is a matter of pride that Indian Gorkhas have examples like Durga Mallaji , who sacrificed his life for the sake of the country," said Bista.

On Sunday, Bista also met Ramesh Pokhriyal, minster of human resource development with the demand for a setting up a central university in Darjeeling. The minister, reportedly assured Bista that he would take up the mater..