Shah vows 'PPS', solution to N Bengal problems- He assures ST status for Gorkha communities, subsidy in Nepali film-making, Panchanan Barma museum

RAJ KUMAR KARMAKAR, SNS,  ALIPURDUAR, 2 APRIL 21: BJP leader and Home Minister Amit Shah today assured a 'permanent political solution' (PPS) for the political problems plaguing the Hills, Terai, and the Dooars.He also once again promised that 11 Gorkha communities would be granted the Scheduled Tribe status once the BJP comes to power in Bengal.

Addressing an election rally at the Subhashini tea garden field in Kalchini Block in Alipurduar district, Mr Shah also came down heavily on Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee.

"North Bengal is very rich in natural beauty, but still Mamata Banerjee deprived this region of Bengal. Mamata Banerjee's government did nothing fort his region, except intolerable torture to the Gorkhas," said Mr Shah, who was flanked by central and state BJP leaders.

"We will act on the long-pending permanent political solution for the Dooars, Terai and the Hills soon after we form a BJP government in West Bengal on 2nd May," he claimed.

It may be noted here that the BJP has long promised the much-talked-about PPS for the region, and the ST status for the 11 "left-out" Gorkha cornmunities, while concerns are being expressed that the party did nothing for the Hills, despite the area giving it  MPs for three consecutive terms.

"North Bengal, the beautiful region of Bengal, is in the mind of our Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi, but he cannot do anything for this region as there is another government in West Bengal. We will solve all the problems of North Bengal after we form a government here in Bengal on 2 May," Mr Shah said.

He also promised a Central University, an AIIMS-like health facility, Medical Colleges and Narayani Regiment for the development of North Bengal.

"BJP will win 50 of the total 60 seats which went to the polls in the second phase, but we will bag 50 of the 50 seats in North Bengal," Mr Shah claimed.

"Nepali and Rajbanshi languages will be made the co-languages, along with the Bengali language in West Bengal. Subsidy will be given to film-making in the Nepali language. We will also begin a radio channel exclusively in Nepali language. We will further declare prizes of Rs 5 crore for Nepali literature, film, music, song and cultural performance to develop Nepali culture and language after we form our government in West Bengal," he added.

For the Rajbanshi community Mr Shah said a 'Thakur Panchanan Barma Sanggrahashala' (museum) with a fund of Rs 250 crore and a big statue of Thakur Panchanan Barma will be built in the area.

Meanwhile, Trinamul Congress leader Mohan Sharma, who is the mentor of the Alipurduar Zilla Parishad, joined the BJP during the mass meeting today. Union Minister Arvind Menon handed over the party flag to Mr Sharma.

Mr Sharma claimed that 11 Zilla Parishad members, all members of two Panchayat Samittees in Alipurduar district, and many gram panchayat pradhans and panchayat members also joined the BJP today.

"If I want, I can capture the Alipurduar Zila Parishad at this moment as a majority of its members is with the BJP now. But we have eyes on the Assembly elections at present," Mr Sharma said.

Darjeeling MP Raju Bista, BJP's Madarihat Assembly election candidate Manoj Tigga and Kalchini poll candidate Bishal Lama were also present in the meeting.