Senior Trinamool Congress leader and state tourism minister Gautam Deb today said the issue of Gorkhaland that the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha was raising in the run up to the municipality election was not a pertinent one. He said the GJM was doing so because they cannot show the people any work they have done in terms of development.
Speaking at a press conference, Deb said, ¨Whenever elections come the GJM raises the issue of Gorkhaland, but after that they work for their personal benefits only. The forthcoming election is a local one and so bringing up the Gorkhaland issue is not appropriate. In the five years of their board running the municipality, the GJM has done nothing substantial despite controlling the GTA and having their own MP and MLAs. Raising the Gorkhaland issue is only to divert the attention of the people from their shortcomings. This is a very unfortunate thing.
"On the other hand, the state government and the chief minister have done whatever that could be done for the hills. The demands for a Kalimpong district and Mirik sub-division have been fulfilled. In Kurseong, a campus of Presidency College has come up, while work for an IT Centre is undergoing. Further, the state government has also made road connectivity better whereas roads in the municipality areas are pitiful. No work has been undertaken to improve water shortage problems and the sewage system has not been upgraded. Funds have been provided but no work has been done. This is the reason why the GJM could not even field their former municipality chairman in the upcoming election as doing so would have spread a negative impact."
Deb said the TMC just wants a chance of five years to prove their mettle. Friday is the last day for campaigning and the TMC will bring out a rally in Darjeeling followed by a public meeting at Chowk Bazaar.
¨We are in the last phase of campaigning and we have extensive door to door campaigns in many places where senior party leaders participated. We have got good response in the wards from a wide cross section of voters,¨ said the TMC leader. (EOIC)
Speaking at a press conference, Deb said, ¨Whenever elections come the GJM raises the issue of Gorkhaland, but after that they work for their personal benefits only. The forthcoming election is a local one and so bringing up the Gorkhaland issue is not appropriate. In the five years of their board running the municipality, the GJM has done nothing substantial despite controlling the GTA and having their own MP and MLAs. Raising the Gorkhaland issue is only to divert the attention of the people from their shortcomings. This is a very unfortunate thing.
"On the other hand, the state government and the chief minister have done whatever that could be done for the hills. The demands for a Kalimpong district and Mirik sub-division have been fulfilled. In Kurseong, a campus of Presidency College has come up, while work for an IT Centre is undergoing. Further, the state government has also made road connectivity better whereas roads in the municipality areas are pitiful. No work has been undertaken to improve water shortage problems and the sewage system has not been upgraded. Funds have been provided but no work has been done. This is the reason why the GJM could not even field their former municipality chairman in the upcoming election as doing so would have spread a negative impact."
Deb said the TMC just wants a chance of five years to prove their mettle. Friday is the last day for campaigning and the TMC will bring out a rally in Darjeeling followed by a public meeting at Chowk Bazaar.
¨We are in the last phase of campaigning and we have extensive door to door campaigns in many places where senior party leaders participated. We have got good response in the wards from a wide cross section of voters,¨ said the TMC leader. (EOIC)
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