Visiting Darjeeling for the first time as chief minister, Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday made no reference to the BJP’s long-standing promise of a “permanent political solution” to the vexed Gorkhaland issue.
Suvendu, however, addressed local sentiments by honouring Gorkhaland martyrs and offering jobs and compensation to their families, while also describing Darjeeling as nature’s “gift” to Bengal.
The BJP first referred to the “permanent political solution (PPS)” in its manifesto for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Although the party has kept the promise undefined, most people in the Darjeeling hills expect it to be a “separation from Bengal”.
With the BJP now in power in the state, the hill populace will want clarity on the party’s position on the PPS. However, this will be easier said than done for Suvendu given the sentiments that Darjeeling hold for the rest of Bengal.
Aware of the import of the PPS, the chief minister remained silent on the issue while addressing the hill people in Kurseong on Tuesday, but he did speak to Gorkha sentiments.
“The TMC, their friends and the police under Mamata Banerjee’s direction indulged in atrocities against our Gorkha brothers. You had to lay down your lives (during the Gorkhaland movement). I don’t have the power to give back life, but we will offer a job to a member of each bereaved family and ₹5 lakh from the chief minister’s relief fund. Your Bhai Suvendu Adhikari will do this,” the chief minister said.
Suvendu began his speech at the Monteviot grounds by remembering Gorkha freedom fighters such as Major Durga Malla and Helen Lepcha.
The chief minister also promised to withdraw “false cases” filed by the previous Trinamool government during the Gorkhaland agitation. “The BJP government will withdraw all the false cases against our Gorkha brothers,” he said.
EFR jobs
The chief minister promised to recruit 1,000 Gorkha youths in the Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR).
The EFR, which is a paramilitary force under the Bengal police, is headquartered at Salua in West Midnapore’s Kharagpur. It was formed in 1920 and predominantly recruits Gorkhas.
The force took part in World War II, the India-China conflicts, the India-Pakistan war of 1965 and the Bangladesh Liberation War. The EFR had also joined the fight against Maoist insurgency in parts of Bengal during the last few years ofLeft rule.
Tea pledge
In Kurseong, Suvendu said efforts would be made to revive the tea gardens, including the 25 closed estates in the hills and the Dooars, through the Centre’s Pradhan Mantri Chai Shramik Protsahan scheme. The BJP government has accused the Trinamool dispensation of failing to utilise the grant of ₹1,000 crore under the scheme.
GTA warning, money
The chief minister threatened action against anyone who indulges in corruption in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). He said the BJP government was committed to increasing the budget for the hill body beyond the ₹180 crore sanctioned during the 2024-25 financial year.
Suvendu elaborated on the various schemes of the government.
“The hills are a beautiful gift from nature to Bengal and the NDA-BJP government will work to make the place better, developed and also provide jobs to the youths,”he said.
Allies, Edwards
Suvendu addressed two public meetings in Kurseong — the political meeting at the Monteviot grounds and a government programme at the Goethals grounds.
At Monteviot, the BJP’s hill allies such as Gorkha Janmukti Morcha president Bimal Gurung, GNLF chief Mann Ghisingh and CPRM leaders shared the stage with Suvendu.
On the way to the Goethals grounds, Suvendu was greeted by Ajoy Edwards, the chief convener of the Indian Gorkha Janshakti Front, which unsuccessfully contested against the BJP in the Assembly elections. Suvendu got off his car and accepted Edwards’s greetings.
Edwards later said he discussed the PPS and other issues like “corruption in the GTA” with the chief minister.