Binay NRC protest plan

VIVEK CHHETRI, TT, 05 Sep 2019, Darjeeling: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha's Binay Tamang camp seems to be pinning its hopes on the National Register of Citizen (NRC) issue to revive its party in the Darjeeling hills.

After the Binay Tamang Trinamul alliance lost both the Darjeeling Lok Sabha and Darjeeling Assembly by-election, the Morcha faction did not really have an issue to mobilise its party supporters.

During a meeting of the party's central committee and other frontal organisations in Darjeeling on Wednesday, leaders seem to have agreed that the NRC is the issue that the party needs to take up to revive its activities across the hills. The Tamang camp of the Morcha has claimed that nearly 1.6 lakh Gorkhas residing in Assam have been left out of the NRC. The party is looking at launching its activities based on the Assam situation.

"The situation that has been created in Assam should not be repeated across the co- untry. There are talks about NRC being implemented across the country," said Binay after the meeting.

Binay claimed that they were not against NRC but added that they were opposed to the process.

"We have decided on our party stand on this issue. Gorkhas should be given the status of original inhabitants, the status certain communities were provided in Assam," said Binay before announcing a series of programmes.

On September 7, the party has decided to put up posters across the hills and plains regarding the NRC followed by the submission of a deputation to district magistrates, sub-divisional officers and block development officers on September 12 by the party's women wing.

"Our frontal organisation will also bring out rallies in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kuresong and Mirik on September 12," said Binay. Binay has also decided to lead a 14-member delegation to Assam.

"The NRC seems to have given Binay Tamang's camp a much needed issue at this juncture," said an observer. "It, however, needs to be seem how much can they cash on this issue."