Darjeeling, 13th April: Union Home Minister Amit Shah addresses a public gathering in Darjeeling’s Lebong ground today. Besides him, Darjeeling MP Raju Bista, BJP’s MLA candidates Neeraj Zimba from Darjeeling assembly, B. P. Bajgain from Kurseong assembly, GNLF president Mann Ghising, CPRM Chief R. B. Rai were present in the meeting.
Addressing the public, Shah shared the party’s commitment to upgrade Darjeeling Municipality to Darjeeling Municipal Corporation. Emphasizing the need for providing clean and adequate drinking water for all, he stated that the BJP government will ensure piped water connection to every household under the ‘Har Ghar Jal’ Scheme by 2024.
Highlighting the atrocities faced by the people under TMC and the killing of 11 Gorkha youths in 2017, Amit Shah stated that the BJP government will constitute a Special Investigations Team (SIT) and ensure that all who suffered TMC atrocities and their families will get justice. He further stated that once the BJP government gets formed, GTA will be dissolved. He also emphasized that the BJP government will increase the wages of tea garden workers to Rs 350 per day.
Speaking on Tourism Development, Amit Shah stated that BJP will provide a special package of Rs 1000 crore towards tourism development in the North Bengal region and spoke about strengthening cultural integration of the people through tourism. He also talked about providing a subsidized loan of up to Rs 50 lakhs for tourism entrepreneurs and making the earning 100% tax-free for the next three years.
He spoke about establishing a Central University in North Bengal on a priority basis. Shah also highlighted the corruption in teacher recruitment and stated that a Special Investigation Team will be formed to investigate the matter.
Speaking on NRC, Amit Shah made it clear that as and when NRC is implemented, not a single Gorkha will be negatively affected. He once again reiterated BJP commitment to protect and promote local languages and start a TV and Radio Channel in the Nepali language.
Later in a statement, MP Raju Bista urged all the citizens of Darjeeling hills to vote for BJP candidates – Suva Pradhan from Kalimpong, Neeraj Zimba from Darjeeling, and BP Bajgain from Kurseong, and allow the party to implement the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to transform the region. “..help usher in good governance to ensure a clean, honest and transparent government,” the statement read.