After navigating India’s diplomatic corridors, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, the former foreign secretary who traces his roots to Darjeeling, has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha.
President Droupadi Murmu has nominated Shringla to the Upper House, a move many in the hills believe could provide fresh impetus to long-pending Darjeeling issues, especially Gorkhaland.
Shringla, unlike his counterpart in Lok Sabha from Darjeeling, the BJP's Raju Bista, will enter the Rajya Sabha without carrying the baggage of Gorkhaland.
Shringla has had a distinguished career having served as India’s ambassador to the US and Thailand, high commissioner to Bangladesh apart from being the foreign secretary from 2020 to 2023 and the chief coordinator of India’s G-20 presidency in 2023.
Modi through X termed Shringla as someone who has excelled as a diplomat, intellectual and strategic thinker. "Shri Harsh Vardhan Shringla Ji has excelled as a diplomat, intellectual and strategic thinker. Over the years, he’s made key contributions to India’s foreign policy and also contributed to our G20 Presidency. Glad that he’s been nominated to the Rajya Sabha by President of India. His unique perspectives will greatly enrich Parliamentary proceedings," the Prime Minister wrote on X.
Thanking Modi, Shringla stated: “I have always wanted to work in the service of the country and, even after retirement, I have never stopped my endeavours in this regard.”
A political observer from Darjeeling said the news had raised hopes in the hills.
"There is little doubt that Shringla’s role will be in the diplomatic corridors but his nomination has also raised hope that there will be some focus on Darjeeling hills given his reach in the power corridors,” he said.
Shringla’s entry to Parliament as someone well versed with issues from Darjeeling comes at a time when the BJP’s poll promise for a “permanent political solution” and granting tribal status to 11 Gorkha communities seems to have hit a wall.
RTI replies on the granting of tribal status to the hill communities from the tribal ministry office has not been encouraging.
“There is not much enthusiasm with regard to the BJP fulfilling their poll promises in the hills at the moment. Against this backdrop, Shringla’s nomination is seen a silver lining by a section in the hills,” the observer added.
During the last Lok Sabha election, Shringla was considered a top contender for the BJP ticket from Darjeeling. However, local political compulsions forced the party to renominated sitting MP Raju Bista at the very last moment.
Many of his supporters, however, had expected Shringla to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha immediately.
“Even after being denied a ticket, Shringla has continued to work on other issues of Darjeeling,” said a local.
The career diplomat, through his Dareeling Welfare Society, has worked toward generating employment for the Darjeeling youths and has been also instrumental in addressing livelihood issues in closed and other tea gardens of Darjeeling through international collaborations. The trust has started a coaching centre with UPSC aspirants in collaboration with Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Shringla played a key role in evacuating residents of the region who were stuck abroad.
Many believe that even if addressing the core issue of “permanent political solution” and granting tribal status to the hill community might be beyond the scope of Shringla’s role in the government, there will be gains for the region.