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Amit Shah promises permanent solution to Gorkha issue if BJP assumes power in Bengal

Union home minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said that the BJP is committed to finding a permanent political solution to the Gorka problems and the Gorkhas need not do agitation for the same

Published on: Apr 13, 2021, 23:54:42 IST
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Union home minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said that the BJP is committed to finding a permanent political solution to the Gorka problems and the Gorkhas need not do agitation for the same. He also touched upon the twin issue of according scheduled tribe (ST) status to the 11 Gorkha sub-communities.

Kolkata: Union Home Minister Amit Shah addresses an election campaign rally in support of BJP candidates for Assembly polls, at Bidhan Nagar in Kolkata, Tuesday, April 13, 2021. (PTI Photo) (PTI04_13_2021_000220B) (PTI)
Kolkata: Union Home Minister Amit Shah addresses an election campaign rally in support of BJP candidates for Assembly polls, at Bidhan Nagar in Kolkata, Tuesday, April 13, 2021. (PTI Photo) (PTI04_13_2021_000220B) (PTI)

“The Centre and the state government (in case the BJP forms the government) would jointly find out a permanent political solution and the BJP can only give ST status to the 11 Gorkha communities,” Shah said while addressing a rally in Darjeeling.

The BJP in its Lok Sabha election manifesto in 2019 promised to find a permanent political solution and to accord scheduled tribe status to the 11 communities.

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), the most trusted ally of the BJP since 2009, has been blaming the BJP for ‘hoodwinking’ the Gorkhas. The GJM, which is now divided into two factions, is supporting the Trinamool Congress in the ongoing assembly election in West Bengal.

“The statements made by Prime Minister and Home Minister are all jumla (hoax). They say different things at different places to confuse people. Even the Gorkha community knows that earlier too they (BJP) made such promises at least thrice. They were not met. This time too they won’t be met. It is very unfortunate that the home minister is making such jumla statements to confuse the people,” said Tapas Roy, TMC spokesperson.

Shah, who has been camping in Bengal to bolster the party’s campaign ahead of the fifth phase polls, addressed three public rallies and led a roadshow.

Meanwhile, defence minister Rajnath Singh attacked TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee saying that she has realized that her party will lose the assembly polls and is hence inciting people to resort to violence.

“Perhaps, Mamata Banerjee has accepted that she too is going to lose. It is evident from her desperation and the language she is using for her political opponents. She is inciting people to resort to violence,” he said.