Political parties in Darjeeling disappointed with Prime Minister’s address

What we got was the BJP has always remained sympathetic towards the problems and challenges faced by the Gorkhas. 

EOI, DARJEELING, MARCH 10, 2024: Political parties in the hills of Darjeeling have expressed disappointment that Prime minister Narendra Modi failed to address the demands of the Gorkha community in the public meeting in Siliguri on Saturday. 

In his 20-minute- speech at Kawakhali ground, Modi briefly touched on the Gorkha issue saying: "the BJP has always remained sympathetic towards the problems and challenges faced by the Gorkhas. We are close to a solution.".

Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha party president, Anit Thapa said that the regional allies of BJP had hyped Modi's visit to north Bengal as a game changer but the Prime Minister had let down the hill people again.

"I too expected the PM would make some kind of important announcement for the Gorkha community. However, what we got was the PM saying the BJP was sympathetic and a solution was close. Five years ago, we had at least been assured of tribal status but this time that too did not come. I am really disappointed," he said. 

Hamro Party president, Ajoy Edwards used rhetoric to drive home his dissatisfaction. "Recently, a leader of the BJP alliance was saying he had written a letter to the Prime Minister with his blood. I thought it would have an effect but now I wonder which Prime Minister he has sent his letter written in blood to. In fact, a BJP leader had recently said that the BJP was still in power even though the term of the Government was expiring. Now the time-frame is being extended to 2026 when the Assembly election will be held. I want the BJP to give in writing that Gorkhaland will be created when the saffron party comes to power in Bengal," he said.

Edwards’ reference was to the statement of Gorkha National Liberation Front leader and BJP MLA Neeraj Zimba who had claimed he had used his blood in the letter to remind the Prime Minister about the promise of the BJP to find a permanent political solution and grant tribal status to the 11 left-out 

Gorkha communities and of Darjeeling MP Raju Bista who had asserted that the BJP was still in power. Gorkha Janmukti Morcha youth leader Norman Rai said his party was not satisfied with the Prime Minister’s speech."

The Prime Minister did not do justice to our demands. We are not happy with what he had to say. Our party will make public our strategy and roadmap for the statehood demand soon," he said. 

The GJM had helped the BJP to establish its presence in West Bengal, making the BJP candidate victorious in the Lok Sabha election in 2009 from Darjeeling. Relations turned sour, however, after the2017 statehood agitation when GJM president Bimal Gurung was forced to goin to hiding. Gurung resurfaced in 2020,pledging support to the Trinamool Congress after severing ties with the BJP. 

However the Gorkha National Liberation Front argued that it was up to the political parties to interpret the words of the Prime Minister. 

"Our morale is boosted by what Modiji said in his speech. Unlike earlier, this time the Prime Minister was more categorial when he said the BJP was close to a solution for the Gorkhas. The words of the PM are positive for us. It is foolish to assume that Gorkhaland will be achieved from Siliguri. There are government protocols to be followed," said GNLF Secretary General Neeraj Zimba who was present in the dias with Modi in Siliguri.

The BJP in its 2019 election manifesto promised to find a permanent political solution and grant tribal status to the 11 left-out Gorkha communities.