Protesters take to the streets in Darj over Centre’s silence on Manipur Demand BJP MP Raju Bista’s resignation

Sanchita Aich Bag |  MP  |  26 July 2023 : A protest rally took to the streets of Darjeeling on Wednesday, demanding an explanation for the “calculated silence” of the BJP-led Union Government on the Manipur impasse. 

The rally also questioned why Raju Bista, the BJP MP from Darjeeling, who hails from Manipur, failed to raise his voice on the issue, specially on the matter of the gang rape and outrage of modesty of two women who were allegedly paraded naked in Manipur. The protesters demanded that Bista tender his resignation immediately from the post of MP, if “he is a true Gorkha”. 

The silent rally commenced at the Darjeeling Railway Station and culminated at the Darjeeling Mall. “Raju Bista was born in Manipur and is the Lok Sabha MP from Darjeeling. Why has he not raised his voice against such atrocities yet? If he can’t do justice to his birthplace, what will he do for Darjeeling? If he is a true Gorkha, he should immediately resign, in protest against the atrocities,” stated Passang Agarwal of the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha Nari Shakti, women’s wing of the BGPM. 

She stated that this is not a political rally but a peaceful protest rally. “The BJP-led Union Government talks of Beti Bachao (Save the girl child). They have a BJP Government both at the centre and Manipur, then why the silence? 

The truth is that the Central Government despite having eyes, can’t see; despite having ears can’t hear and despite having mouths can’t speak,” she said. “So many days have passed, yet the Union Government is silent on the issue. 

Opposition parties have demanded that the Prime Minister speak on this issue in the ongoing monsoon session. He has been avoiding the issue. Now everybody has realized that his calculated silence is keeping the 2024 Parliamentary election in mind. It is a planned move of polarisation,” stated Amar Lama, General Secretary, BGPM. 

The protesters carried placards with messages like, “Together we stand. Demanding Justice for Manipur”. Two days ago a similar silent rally was taken out in Kalimpong by the Kalimpong Bar Association and All India Women’s Conference, Kalimpong. The rally started from Thanadanra and culminated at the Dambar Chowk. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/protesters-take-to-the-streets-in-darj-over-centres-silence-on-manipur-527059