Darjeeling MP Raju Bista met the district’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and workers in Darjeeling, on Wednesday, and discussed the present situation in the hills, especially after the West Bengal Government declared the dates for the election of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) disregarding the sentiments and oppositions of the people.
“The Bharatiya Janata Party is absolutely opposed to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration itself, as it is an unconstitutional body, which has completely failed to fulfill the aspirations of the people from our region,” Bista added.
The MP accused the TMC government of showcasing their “dictatorial tendencies” by running the GTA without holding any elections to it since 2017. “…..now that the Union Home Ministry has initiated the process to find a Permanent Political Solution, the WB Govt is doing everything in their power to derail this process. In announcing elections to GTA, the TMC Govt is undermining the efforts being made by the Union Home Ministry and Gorkha Representatives to find Permanent Solution. They are also undermining the advice given by Hon’ble Calcutta High Court against holding the GTA election till the GTA related case is heard,” he added.
Bista condemned the GTA election as TMC’s mere “tender process” to buy the loyalties of Gorkha politicians who are “willing to sell their self-respect and the future of the community for a few hundred crores of GTA funds.”
“We should never allow these elements to prevail. We will stand with everyone who are opposed to holding of this forceful GTA elections, and we will work unitedly to protect the rights of the people from Darjeeling hills, Terai and Dooars and we won’t let the TMC Govt to impose this illegal body on us,” Bista asserted.