Siliguri (West Bengal): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday assured the people of Darjeeling Hills and the Terai-Dooars region in West Bengal that a solution to the protracted issue of Gorkhaland was near and BJP is sensitive towards the whole issue.
"We are sympathetic to the problems, issues and challenges of our Gorkha brothers. A solution to the issues of Darjeeling is not very far and BJP is always with you. We are sympathetic as well as sensitive towards the problems. Trinamool Congress has practised divisive politics in the Hills and has only created rifts. We have a clear roadmap for North Bengal and that comprises three Ts - Tea, Timber and Tourism. We will chart out a complete development package for the whole area," the Prime Minister said while addressing a BJP rally at the Kawakhali grounds in Siliguri.
The long-drawn issue of Gorkhaland, which dates back to as early as 1907 with the Hillmen's Association of Darjeeling submitting a memorandum to the Morley-Minto Reforms Commission demanding a separate administrative set up for the Hills, has gone through a bloody trail with violent protests and prolonged shutdowns in the 1980s and then again 2017-18.
With the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and GNLF taking a hit and the Trinamool Congress literally in the driving seat after joining hands with Anit Thapa, the Chief Executive of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration and president of Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha, the political dynamics of the Hills has tilted much towards the TMC.
Will today's words of the Prime Minister go down positively with the Gorkha community and give electoral dividends to the BJP in the coming Lok Sabha elections from the Hills, will be keenly watched.
Lashing out against the Trinamool Congress government of West Bengal, Modi said, "The door to oust the corrupt state government of Trinamool Congress will literally open from this Lok Sabha election. TMC never gave any importance to the people in the Hills. I have been continuously working for the development of the poor, but dynasty-based parties are not liking it."
In his fourth rally in Bengal within the first nine days of March, the Prime Minister sought a promise from the people gathered at the rally. "I want a promise from all of you. You have to ensure that the lotus blooms from every booth of North Bengal. We will work towards the development of everyone - the Rajbanshis, the Gorkhas, the Adivasis and all."
Upping his ante against the INDIA bloc parties, Modi said, "Congress, TMC and now the Left, all have come together to stop the development agenda. Trinamool Congress in Bengal is bothered about its nephew while the Congress is bothered only about the royal family. I have been constantly working for the development of the poor, but the dynasty-based parties are not liking it."
"I don't want to leave any bank balance for anyone. I will be satisfied if you people get a pucca house and basic amenities. That is my priority," the Prime Minister said.
Incidentally, the Prime Minister had started his speech in an effort to strike a chord with tea garden workers. "Greetings from a chaiwala (tea vendor) to all tea garden workers."
Later in his address, Modi said, "The BJP government at the Centre has done much for tea garden workers and more than 25000 people have come out of abject poverty in the gardens. I want to tell you that money for 100-days guaranteed jobs are sent from Delhi, but the corrupt TMC government does not distribute it among the poor. Goons aided by TMC had made 25 lakh fake job cards and looted the money. This corrupt party does not even want free ration to be distributed among the people."
He said their (TMC's) ministers are behind the ration scam, adding, "They did not even allow 14 lakh women of the state to get benefits under the Ujjwala scheme of the Centre."
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