Tamang vows Gorkha NRC help

VIVEK CHHETRI, TT, 14 Sep 2019, Darjeeling: Binay Tamang on Friday lead a 15-member delegation to Assam "to understand the problems faced by Gorkhas in Assam" after publication of the final NRC, a day after Darjeeling BJP MP Raju Bista met chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal and raised the issue.

"The main objective of this visit is to go to Ground Zero of Assam and understand the problems faced by the Gorkhas in Assam after the publication of the final (NRC) list and to find a way to solve the problem," Tamang, leading a 15-member delegation, said in a written statement.

The NRC issue has become a major talking point in the hills and both the BJP-GJM (Bimal Gurng camp) and GJM (Binay camp) are trying to portray themselves as champions of the Gorkhas in India.

Although Tamang had earlier said his party delegation would visit Assam to take stock of the situation, Bista -- accompanied by Neeraj Zimba, GNLF leader who won the Darjeeling assembly seat on a BJP ticket -- pipped Tamang to the post.

Bista had on Thursday said chief minister Sonowal had assured him that Gorkhas dwelling in the state would not be harmed in any way because of the NRC. Some Gorkha associations and the Tamang camp have claimed more than 1 lakh Gorkhas have not made it to the NRC list.

On Friday, Tamang said his team will "visit other communities" affected by the exercise. He ruled out meeting any political parties in Assam and said talks would be held only with social groups. "During this visit to Assam, the delegation will not meet any political parties but will meet social institutions and other institutions working with other various communitiesTamang also said during the trip, his delegation "will also provide the necessary paperwork for legal action" but the leader did not elaborate on the exact form of documentation. "We will not interfere with the law of the state of Assam but our main objective will be to help our Gorkha community and other communities produce proper documents so that they can be listed in the NRC," Tamang said..