News Desk: Darjeeling MP Raju Bista, while speaking in support of the Repealing and Amending Bill, 2025 in Parliament, emphasized the importance of keeping India’s statute book clean, coherent, contemporary, and citizen-friendly. He noted that the Bill does not create new laws but repeals or amends obsolete and redundant enactments.
Bista highlighted the Absorbed Areas (Law) Act, 1954, which extended West Bengal state laws to the Darjeeling hills, Terai, and Dooars, regions previously governed under special administrative regimes such as Non-Regulated Areas, Scheduled Districts, and Partially Excluded Areas. He pointed out that despite formal integration, the people of these areas continue to wait for justice and equality.
He underscored that the Constitution guarantees equal rights, dignity, and justice to every citizen and praised the Central Government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ensuring the constitutional promise of “nyay” reaches even the most neglected regions. However, he stressed that the people of Darjeeling hills, Terai, and Dooars are still awaiting a just solution respecting their identity, aspirations, and constitutional rights.
Bista acknowledged the Central Government’s intent to resolve these long-standing issues, citing the appointment of an interlocutor as a demonstration of commitment to dialogue and peaceful resolution. He highlighted challenges such as rapid demographic changes due to cross-border infiltration, exploitation of natural resources, lack of development, poor connectivity, limited economic progress, and scarce livelihood opportunities for youth.
He also stated that arrangements like DGHC or GTA have failed to address these concerns and called for a permanent constitutional solution for the region to be implemented in a timely manner.