Bimal Gurung okays Sixth Schedule with rider11 left-out communities must be declared ST first

On Wednesday, however the hill leader, while participating in a public meeting in support of BJP candidate for the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat Raju Bista,

EOI, DARJEELING, APRIL 3, 2024 : Back in 2007,Gorkha Janmukti Morcha president Bimal Gurung created an anti-sixth schedule wave and rose to power. 

On Wednesday, however the hill leader, while participating in a public meeting in support of BJP candidate for the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat Raju Bista, consented to accept the sixth schedule; though with a rider. For the sixth schedule to be implemented, the Centre must first include the 11 left-out Gorkha communities in the list of Scheduled Tribe.

"Our primary demand is Gorkhaland. However, we are willing to accept implementation of the Sixth Schedule, provided all the left out Gorkha communities are granted ST status by the Centre," gurung said, addressing a public meeting. 

Gorkha National Liberation Front founder leader Subash Ghising had raised the sixth schedule demand in 2005 and a bill was placed in the parliament by the then UPA government. The GJM had opposed the sixth schedule on grounds that it would create divisions among the hill communities. The Bill was later put on the backburner. 

"People have gathered in huge numbers today to show their solidarity against the state government atrocities. We are supporting the BJP candidate for justice of our people, a proper arrangement for the hills and demand for Gorkhaland. I urge Bista to work and uphold the dignity of the Gorkha community,” Gurung said in a public meeting