A purported video of Union tribal minister Jual Oram, which tried to
clarify New Delhi’s inability to clear a bill to grant schedule tribe
status to 11 hill communities, prised open a set of uncomfortable
questions for the BJP-led Centre that has been dragging its feet on the
issue.
In the video, posted by Roshan Giri on social media, Oram
said the bill could not be cleared because the ministry had received
reports from West Bengal and Sikkim but not from other states with
significant Gorkha population.
“The reason is that when the demand
came from Sikkim and West Bengal, it came to the notice of Bharat
Sarkar that these communities (Gorkhas) do not stay only in that area
(Bengal and Sikkim) but also in some areas of Assam, Himachal, Delhi,
Uttarkhand,” Oram says in the video.
The claim — coinciding with
the visit of a central team to Sikkim to assess the situation — gave the
Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leaders an opportunity to question the Centre’s
intent.
“If the reports from Bengal and Sikkim are with the
Centre, the what is the purpose of sending a three-member delegation to
Sikkim and Darjeeling?” questioned Binay Tamang, president of the Gorkha
Janmukti Morcha.
Pawan Kumar Chamling, Sikkim chief minister
whose party is in an alliance with the BJP, has already termed the visit
a “hogwash”.
Questions were also raised on the seriousness of
the committee, as it was first constituted in 2016 and since then two
chairpersons have been changed.
“After two years, the tribal
minister suddenly makes a statement that reports had been collected only
from two states. The statement also comes after the winter session has
concluded,” said a member of the hill community.
Today’s video is
not the first one from Oram. In another purported video, on January 3,
he had said that the Centre could place the bill in the parliament
overnight if it so wished. The tribal minister had not talked about any
difficulties facing the government in his January 3 address.
This same assurance was given to a delegation, which was led by Darjeeling MP S.S. Ahluwalia, that met Oram recently.
“The
Darjeeling MP was seen present in today’s video… If the centre could
table it in the Parliament overnight, why wasn’t it done?” asked another
hill leader.
In the video, the minister, in a counter question,
asked what would happen to the community members in other areas if a
bill to grant ST status to Gorkhas only staying in Bengal and Sikkim was
introduced.
“This is why the committee was formed. This committee
has given the report of Sikkim, West Bengal but there were difficulties
in getting the report of other areas (states),” said Oram adding that
the change in the chairperson had led to these difficulties.
After
detailing the problems, Oram said, the Centre was “interested in
introducing the bill and also interested in passing the bill” during the
budget session.
Bills of various other communities, apart from that of the Gorkhas, have been cleared by the cabinet.
Tamang
said: “What was the need of another committee and another field visit
to Sikkim when Vishu Maini, the former chairman, had already visited in
2016?” questioned Tamang who demanded that the present committee should
place its report within two weeks.
In another written statement
posted by Giri, Bimal Gurung stated that on October 9, 2018, Oram had
given his word that the bill would be placed in this winter session.
“After watching today’s video, we still have hope on BJP,” Gurung’s statement reads.
https://www.telegraphindia.com
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