Union home minister Amit Shah on Tuesday sought to stoke the sentiments of the Gorkhas to galvanise support in the three Assembly constituencies of the Darjeeling hills and in the foothills by assuring that if the BJP grabbed power in Bengal, the permanent political solution (PPS) to the problems of the region would be found within six months.
He also promised to withdraw the police cases registered against the Gorkhas during statehood movements by July 31.
“This time, the BJP is all set to form the government in Bengal. The people have made up their minds to oust the Trinamool Congress from power. Let me assert that once we form the government, we will fulfil your longstanding demand within six months. I know well about your demands and the BJP alone can solve your problems,” Shah told a public meeting in Sukna near Siliguri.
Earlier, the Union home minister had planned to visit Darjeeling to address a public meeting. However, because of inclement weather, his helicopter couldn’t take off and he sent a video message to the hill residents.
“On the same day, I had said that I would be here today… the Gorkhas have a glorious history, and they have organised movements on their demands. We will resolve the issue in such a manner that you will not have to go into movement anymore. There will be smiles on the faces of Gorkhas soon,” he added.
Shah’s assertion on the issue of PPS on the final day of campaign for the first phase polls hints that the BJP is still confident that it can draw votes from across the hills by underscoring the same issue like the earlier polls, opined political observers.
“Since 2009, BJP leaders have mentioned that they would consider the demand for PPS and have managed to secure the Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in the hills. This time, Amit Shah has again mentioned it, while supplementing that it would be easier for them to resolve the issue if his party forms the government in the state,” said an observer.
In his speech, Shah also accused Congress, the Left, and Trinamool of registering several police cases against the Gorkha population during earlier movements.
“Let us come to power on May… the state will withdraw all such cases by July 31,” he said.
He said that over the past six years, the central government had called three meetings to discuss the hill issue.
“But no one from the state’s side attended the meeting. That is why we decided to appoint an interlocutor, who has visited here and has spoken with people, and a report would be prepared,” said Shah.
The veteran BJP leader, who has been consistently campaigning across Bengal, also tried to reach out to the tea population. In the hills and across north Bengal as a whole, the election results of 10 to 12 seats are decided by the tea workers and their families.
“We will not let the tea gardens be sold out… we will rejuvenate those to ensure that the tea industry develops in the coming days. Also, our government in the state will ensure that the daily wage rate of tea workers is increased to 500 rupees within a period of two years,” said Shah.
As of now, tea workers receive ₹250 per day. The Trinamool leaders, too, including chief minister Mamata Banerjee and the party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, have said that if Trinamool forms government for the fourth time, the daily wage will be revised to ₹300.
While addressing the crowd, Shah also came up with a clear missive to counter TMC’s narrative that if the BJP is voted to power, it would halt the social welfare schemes run by the state government.
“We will not close down a single welfare scheme in the state,” he said.