Split in Hill BJP comes out in the open

Amitava Banerjee | MP | 24 July 2023 | Darjeeling: Split in the Darjeeling Hill saffron brigade became evident with the BJP MLA from Kurseong, Bishnu Prasad Sharma, blaming “some leaders from outside for lying, which has been causing a dent in BJP’s image in the Hills”. 

He also blamed this for the party’s dismal performance in the recent rural polls in the Hills. “The people of the Hills want goods to be delivered and not just lectures. Just going around making false commitments won’t serve the purpose,” stated Sharma, training guns at Raju Bista, BJP MP, Darjeeling. 

He stated that the BJP party election manifesto had two points about the Hills. “They had committed a Permanent Political Solution (PPS) - we understand this as the separate state of Gorkhaland and the inclusion of 11 Gorkha sub-communities in the scheduled tribe list. 

Both have not been delivered despite years having passed,“ he said. He further stated that these are the two issues that the Hills voted the BJP to power for and the party has to work for these two issues. 

“I don’t want to deflect from these two issues. Just going around telling lies will not serve the purpose. The party is suffering owing to this and the image of the party is being tarnished” alleged Sharma, training guns at MP Raju Bista but without naming him. 

“On October 12, 2021, after tripartite talks, the Union Home minister had assured that next rounds of talks would be held within a month. That meeting has not seen the light of day yet,” added Sharma. He stated that he did not campaign for the BJP in the rural polls as he did not believe in two-tier Panchayat elections under GTA as he does not recognise the GTA. 

“Just to influence votes with false commitments is not good. The image of the party is suffering just because of the lies. We had worked hard to set up the party in the Hills, by lying it is being destroyed,” claimed Sharma. 

Bista could not be contacted for comments. Kalyan Dewan, president, BJP’s Darjeeling district committee (Hills) assured that tripartite talks would be held. When questioned on what the BJP implies by PPS, Dewan stated: “It will be an arrangement that will preserve our rights and will be accorded a constitutional guarantee. Just by uttering the word ‘Gorkhaland,’ the BJP does not want to lose the whole of Bengal.” 

In another development, the women’s wing of the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha has launched “Gorkhas with Manipur” expressing solidarity with the Manipur victims. A protest rally will be held in Darjeeling on July 27. Similar protests are being held in other parts of the Hills. 

Courtesy & source- Millennium Post

 https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/split-in-hill-bjp-comes-out-in-the-open-526769