Issues of Gorkhas absent in business list of Lok Sabba winter session, says Benoy Tamang; have patience, replies Raju Bista

EOI, DARJEELING, NOVEMBER 30, 2023 : Even as Congress leader Binoy Tamang criticised on Thursday the BJP for Gorkha issues failing to feature in the list of business in the winter session of the parliament, Darjeeling MP Raju Bista claimed that one of the two issues promised by the BJP would be delivered before the 2024 polls. 

“It is very unfortunate that the issues of the Gorkhas and Darjeeling Hills, Siliguri, Terai and Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar areas did not come up in the winter session of Parliament 2023,” he said in a statement. The BJP in their 2019 manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections had promised a Permanent Political Solution (PPS) and granting tribal status to the 11 left-out communities. 

“Hill people who voted for the BJP for 15 years were expectant of the saffron party fulfilling its election promise bringing a bill in the winter session of the Parliament before the 2024 election,” he said. 

"The list of business for the winter session of Parliament came out on Wednesday. In the session which will start from December 4 and end on December 22 there is a total of 18 Bills that will be placed but none of them mentions the issues of the Gorkhas,"said Tamang. 

"People had their hopes that something could be given by the BJP but nothing has happened. I knew from the beginning that the BJP would do nothing but was only waiting for this official confirmation. People gave 15 years to the BJP with Raju Bista also giving assurances that it will be done but this is the last session of the Parliament and now we cannot expect anything from them," said Tamang. 

The Congress leader said hill people were now conscious and urged them to not to lose hope but cautioned against being tricked yet again. On the other hand the Darjeeling MP and BJP national spokesperson said the Government was working towards the demand. "The government is trying and I am also working for the issues. 

Before the 2024 elections the BJP government will certainly do something for the hills," he said. "In the past 15 years the BJP has solved many problems in the country. If they do nothing for the Darjeeling hills than it is not a good thing. I am not speaking against the government and I have hope for them that they will do something," he said. 

Bista said there were two issues that the BJP had promised and that he could not say that both would be delivered at once but before the elections one of them would be given. He however did not comment which issue would be fulfilled, maintaining that people would say that he was only giving "assurances". 

When asked about the issues not being featured in the list of business of the winter session, Bista said: "There are many Bills that are not mentioned in the list of business as some of them are sensitive while some are high profile. If something like the Bill for Article 370 or tribal status has to be placed then it can easily be placed and passed."