Darjeeling BJP MLA writes letter to PM Modi in blood to remind him of promise on Gorkha issues; read here
Darjeeling BJP MLA Neeraj Zimba writes a blood-letter to PM Modi, reminding him of unfulfilled promises regarding Gorkha issues, seeking high-level intervention.
FollowOn Saturday, Darjeeling BJP MLA Neeraj Zimba penned a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi using his own blood, purportedly recalling the Prime Minister's statement, "Gorkha ka sapna mera sapna (the dreams of Gorkhas are my dreams)," and urged for significant intervention in Gorkha issues. Zimba emphasized that PM Modi's pledge, made during a public rally at Khaprail near Siliguri on April 10, 2014, remained unfulfilled.
"I pen down this letter using my own blood to implore your attention on a matter of grave significance... The commitment to resolve the... issues of the Gorkhas by finding a political permanent solution and granting Scheduled Tribe status to the 11 left out communities of the Gorkhas is yet to materialise," the letter read.
"While justice has been served to Ladakhis, Kashmiris, Mizos, Nagas and Bodos, the Gorkhas continue to languish in neglect. This unsettling reality is a stark reflection of the lack of political will within the central government... Time has come for you to deliver justice to the Indian Gorkhas," he added.
Since 2009, the Darjeeling constituency has been represented by three MPs in Parliament: Jaswant Singh (2009-2014), S S Ahluwalia (2014-2019), and Raju Bista (2019-2024). Notably, BJP candidates have consistently won the seat by significant margins. In the 2019 elections, Bista secured victory over the second-placed TMC candidate by a margin exceeding 4 lakh votes.
The politics of the Hills has been predominantly shaped by the issue of a separate state of Gorkhaland since 1980, often leading to violent protests. The year 2017 witnessed an intense '100-day economic blockade' during which 11 individuals lost their lives.
In 2019, the BJP pledged tribal status for 11 hill communities and a "permanent political solution (PPS)" to address the Gorkhaland issue. However, progress on this front has been minimal since then. The TMC has staunchly opposed any division of the state and the formation of Gorkhaland.
