New arrangement for Hills to be a constitutionally guaranteed body: Bista

REZA PRADHAN

DARJEELING,: Claiming that the new arrangement for the Hills would be a constitutionally guaranteed body, Darjeeling MP Raju Bista on Thursday said that no compromises will be made without a proper solution.

Bista was addressing a press conference here after a program of the BJP Darjeeling District committee where among the different issues he also gave assurances that the Gorkha names that have been struck out here after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) would once again be included.

“As far as PPS (Permanent Political Solution) for this area goes, the future of the Hills is good with the interlocutor to come here again and meet the different stakeholders. He will then meet the Bengal CM and Chief Secretary and go to Delhi to submit his findings. This process will take place now,” said Bista.

When asked if this new arrangement would be within Bengal, Bista said, “Being a Gorkha myself, I know what our people want, and we have clearly laid out our demands. When the interlocutor returns with the view of the centre and the State, we will again keep our terms. Our maximum demand is a separate State, but our minimum baseline is a body within the Indian constitution of India for which there are a lot of options. I am not speaking as a MP or a BJP leader, but we will not compromise and sign. We will only sign when a proper solution is reached, or we will back out.”

Speaking about the Gorkha names being removed in the SIR process, the Darjeeling MP said, “I have raised this issue with the Bengal Chief Minister of Gorkha names being removed from the electoral roll. The Gorkha community in the Hills have not come from Bangladesh. Those names which were removed here were by some politically motivated officials. The names of the Gorkhas should not be removed and I give assurances that their names will be included. We are working towards them also benefitting whatever schemes that have been launched.”

The Darjeeling MP also spoke extensively on the issue of traffic jam problems in Darjeeling.

“I have spoken to the DM and the police regarding the traffic jam problem and they will be holding a meeting tomorrow and see what immediate relief measures can be taken,” said Bista.

Offering more concrete solutions, Bista said that the alternative highway connecting Teesta and Lebong which had already been given the nod would be made soon. He also spoke on the DPR for an alternative highway for Darjeeling via Balasun to be given the green signal.

“For the alternative route via Balsun I had a talk with the NHIDCL today. The DPR was prepared six months back and they have assured me that they will start the process for passing it,” said Bista while adding that circular roads could be made in different places so that there is less traffic load on one single road stretch.

Bista also maintained that they were also working towards a solution for water scarcity, waste management, sewage, and drainage with him claiming that funds for all this were not a problem. He also spoke on stopping illegal work in the hills along with stopping encroachment, illegal constructions, corruption and a zero tolerance against drugs and narcotics. He also asked the civic body here to ban single-use plastic in the coming days.

The MP also announced that toll tax collection would be stopped at Rohini from June 1.