Bista calms Gorkha NRC worry

AVIJIT SINHA, TT, 6 Sep 2019, Siliguri: Raju Bista, the BJP Darjeeling MP, said on Thursday that Gorkhas in Assam still have options to include their names in the NRC.

"No genuine Indian citizen will be left out of the NRC. Some people are claiming that over one lakh Gorkhas do not have names in the final draft but so far I have gathered, there were around one-andhalf lakh Gorkhas were left out when over 40 lakh people did not had their names in the list. Now that the figure has come down to 19 lakhs, it seems around 70,000 to 80,000 of them do not have their names. But they still have four months' time to get their names enrolled," Bista said.

He echoed the stand of his party and said that like Assam, NRC should be implemented in Bengal.

"This is because the exercise has been taken up to identify illegal immigrants. The Gorkhas and other communities who live here in hills, tea gardens, cinchona plantations and forest villages do not have rights on their own land. This has happened due to the fallacy of the state government. We believe NRC can protect `original inhabitants' of the region and can help them in securing right of their land and other rights," said the MP.

He was referring to Gorkhas along with Rajbanshis, Toto, Rabha, Mech and other tribals who dwell in north Bengal.

Such assertion from the MP that is in complete contrast with the stand of Trinamul, has come at a time when some organisations which claim to represent Rajbanshis, have started speaking in similar tones.

On Wednesday, leaders of Bhumiputra Aikya Mancha ­ a forum representing Rajbanshis, had said that NRC should be implemented in north Bengal districts.

Political observers, while commenting on the issue, said Trinamul and BJP have taken different strategies to earn political dividends on NRC issue.

They mentioned that Trinamul, which is desperate to revive its support in north Bengal, particularly after BJP has won seven of eight Parliament seats here, has solicited help to those who have roots in Bengal but have settled in Assam and have not made it to the NRC.

The party has also mentioned that it would take care of anybody from Assam who is distressed for not having name in the final draft.