Patta issue: ‘BJP misleading Hill people for political gains’

Amitava Banerjee |  MP  |  17 Aug 2023 | Darjeeling: Trinamool Congress (TMC) has claimed that Opposition parties are misleading people on the Patta issue for their political gains. This comes on the heels of Raju Bista, the Lok Sabha MP from Darjeeling alleging that the TMC-led state government is trying to make Gorkhas refugees in their own land in the name of handing out Pattas (land right documents) of 5 decimals. 

“He is misleading people for their own political gains. They want to create trouble and unrest in the Hills. The BJP-led Union Government has not given anything to the Darjeeling Hills in the past 15 years except empty commitments. The state government has done a commendable job by starting the process to grant pattas to the landless tea garden workers. Where does the question of refugees arise? Gorkhas are not refugees.” stated Shanta Chettri, President, TMC Darjeeling District Committee (Hills.) 

Raju Bista recently stated: “The TMC along with the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha are working to turn Gorkhas into refugees to undermine the Gorkhaland demand. We are demanding a separate state and it is our constitutional right. The TMC-led state government by handing out 5 decimal pattas is trying to label us as refugees, like the Rohingyas. If Rohingyas demand a separate state, will they be given one?” questioned Bista, drawing a parallel with the Rohingyas. 

Incidentally, the state government recently issued a notification that homestead pattas of 5 decimal of unused land would be handed over to each landless tea garden worker. In the past also there have been such instances in the Hills. 

Earlier when the state government was handing over digital ration cards, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha President Bimal Gurung had given a call to all not to accept the digital cards as they were meant for refugees. 

Bista further stated that very soon talks would be called by the Union Government to discuss the permanent political solution to address the Gorkha impasse. 

Courtesy & source- Millennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/patta-issue-bjp-misleading-hill-people-for-political-gains-529544