Darjeeling BJP MP Raju Bista on Wednesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on "issues" concerning the hills even as members of the United Front for Separate State (UFSS) held a dharna in Delhi and demanded that the Centre sit for talks with them as early as possible.
The dharna by the UFSS ahead of the Lok Sabha election has started raising the political temperature in the hills during winter.
“Today, I met with the Hon’ble PM Modiji to seek his guidance and support for resolving the issues confronting the people of Darjeeling hills, Terai and Dooars,” Bista said in a written statement sent to The Telegraph.
Sources said the meeting lasted for around 20 minutes.
In its manifesto for the 2019 general election, the BJP had promised a "permanent political solution" or PPS for the Darjeeling hills, the Dooars and the Terai, and tribal status for 11 hill communities. The promises are yet to be fulfilled.
Many in the hills are pitching for the Scheduled Tribe tag for the 11 hill communities before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
“…he (Modi) has ensured the upliftment of some of the most marginalized sections of the society, and created policies, the society, programs, and projects to ensure the empowerment of SC, ST, OBC, EWS, PH, women and other marginalized sections of our country,” Bista said on Wednesday. “I am confident that our people and region will definitely get justice under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Sh Narendra Modi ji.”
Bimal Gurung’s Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, which is a constituent of the new forum, organised a dharna in Delhi on Tuesday and Wednesday. For some time on Wednesday, the dharna was held under the auspices of the UFSS.
“It is out of desperation that we have come together as our voices from north Bengal are not being heard. We urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately open a dialogue with this forum,” said Gurung.
The UFSS is a common forum of nine regional political parties and organisations — the Kamtapur Progressive Party, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, the Kamtapur People's Party (United), the Joy Birsa Munda Ulgulan, the SC/ST Movement Committee, the Progressive People's Party, the Akhil Bharatiya Rajbanshi Samaj, the Greater Cooch Behar People’s Association and the Bhumiputra Unnayan Committee.
In north Bengal, these parties and organisations enjoy clout among Rajbanshis or Gorkhas or adivasis. Their support helped the BJP win seven of eight Lok Sabha seats in the region in 2019.
Gurung pitched for a separate north Bengal state. “We have worked out a formula on how we (Gorkhas, adivasis, Rajbanshis) will fit in the new state,” said Gurung without explaining the formula.
With the UFSS too disenchanted with the BJP, observers believe the saffron camp needs to work out ways and means to keep its electorate intact in north Bengal. “It, however, looks easier said than done,” said an observer.
Bista has already met Union home minister Amit Shah twice within a fortnight and is scheduled to call on him again next week.
Sikkim chief minister P.S. Tamang (Golay) — whose Sikkim Krantikari Morcha is an ally of the BJP — has also been pitching for the tribal status of the communities.
