Gorkhas denied constitutional rights under Bengal government, says Raju Bista

Bista said that even after seven and a half decades of the enactment of the Constitution, the people of the hills were still deprived of the rights and provisions granted to us by the  Constitution

RAJESH SHARMA, EOI, JAIGAON, APRIL 14, 2024 :  BJP candidate for the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat Raju Bista on Sunday joined with different socio-cultural and ethnic organizations of the Darjeeling hills to commemorate the 133rd birth anniversary of B. R. Ambedkar at GDNS Hall, Darjeeling; an event organized by the United Indigenous Gorkha Community Forum, Darjeeling. 

Bista said that even after seven and a half decades of the enactment of the Constitution, the people of the hills were still deprived of the rights and provisions granted to us by the  Constitution. 

Under the discriminatory policies adopted by the West Bengal Government, earlier  under the CPI (M) and now under the Trinamool Congress, the constitutional rights of the Gorkha people had been violated.

“Our tea garden workers, cinchona garden workers, forest villagers and those who live in DI Fund land have been struggling to reclaim their parja patta land rights.

Our people have not benefited from the opportunities of social and economic equality provided by the Constitution,” Bista said.

“Scheduled Castes and Tribes have not received the status, rights, and facilities they deserve. Whether it was under the DGHC or the GTA, the West Bengal Government failed to reserve seats for SCs, STs, or women. Seat reservation, applicable in all systems of the country, has not been implemented in our region by the West Bengal Government. They have completely ignored us.”

Bista said under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the people from the Darjeeling hills, Terai and Dooars would get constitutional solutions of their problems. “It won't be another stop-gap measure. It will be a solution, which will fulfill the aspirations of our people. It will ensure that all constitutional provisions are implemented, including representations of SCs, STs and women."