The Gurung Tamu Youth Association today
conducted a meeting to discuss several issues regarding the addition of
the Gurung Tamu Community in the Scheduled Tribe category. Chief among
the issues discussed was the confusion related to the letter sent by the
state government on the formation of a Tamang Development Board.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting,
GTYA Press & Publicity secretary Santa Kishore Gurung (Tamu)
thanked Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for requesting the prime minister
to include the Gurung Tamu community in the Scheduled Tribe list. He
also congratulated the Tamang Youth Association for getting the approval
for a Tamang Development Board.
However, he said the association is
confused with a paragraph in the letter sent by the state government on
March 1 to the TYA. The letter carries varying guidelines for the new
board, but paragraph number 3 reads, “This Board will also carry out the
above activities with respect to other communities as may be notified
from time to time.”
Gurung said the association has failed
to understand who the “other communities” are being referred to are and
has requested the state government for a clarification.
He said, “if the ‘other communities
referred in the said letter are the 11 Gorkha communities demanding
tribal status, we would request for some rectifications.”
Gurung explained the inclusion of the 11
communities into the Tamang Development and Cultural Board is likely to
create a rift amongst them and the GTYA does not support any move that
could divide the Gorkha community.
He suggested that instead of including
the 11 communities, the government should form a single 'Gorkha Tribal
Development and Cultural Board' to represent all the concerned
communities. Another option would be to provide each tribe with its
respective board and not bring others under any particular tribe. Gurung
also informed the association will soon hold a meeting with
representatives of the 11 communities to discuss the issue.(EOIC)