Tuesday, Feb 13, 2024 10:00 [IST]
Last Update: Tuesday, Feb 13, 2024 04:30 [IST]
DARJEELING, : Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha
(BGPM) staged demonstrations today in front of the district magistrate and
sub-divisional offices across the hills, denouncing the BJP-led Central
government's failure to fulfil its promise of granting tribal status to the 11
Gorkha communities. The dharna will continue till February 14.
The BGPM also sent a memorandum to Prime
Minister Narendra Modi through respective offices, reiterating the
long-standing demand for inclusion of Bhujel, Gurung, Mangar, Newar, Jogi,
Khas, Rai, Sunuwar, Thami, Yakka (Dewan) and Dhimal communities in the Scheduled
Tribes list under Article 342 of the Indian Constitution.
In the memorandum, the BGPM emphasized
the urgent need for social and economic development among these ethnic groups,
stressing their similarity in remoteness and backwardness to other scheduled
tribes. “With the arrival of your party
in power in 2014, our people had great expectations that the new government
would look at this demand positively but we have been waiting since then in
vain. We, therefore, request your kind intervention in this regard so that
social and economic justice is delivered to our Hill tribes,” said the
memorandum.
Addressing the gathering outside the
Darjeeling DM office, BGPM president Anit Thapa asserted that the BJP had
failed to deliver on its promises despite garnering support from the hills in
three consecutive terms. He highlighted the necessity of raising awareness
among the people regarding the BJP's stance towards the Gorkhas to prevent
further disillusionment.
Thapa clarified that while they held no
grudge against Darjeeling MP Raju Bista, who had attempted to advocate for
their cause, the BJP had turned a deaf ear to their pleas. He announced plans
for similar protests at the gram panchayat level and a public meeting in the
Terai region to educate the populace about the BJP’s broken promises.