TMC misleading Gorkhas in Darjeeling about NRC: BJP

Kolkata, March 31 BJP National Secretary Rahul Sinha, here on Sunday, accused the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) of spreading misinformation regarding impact of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) on the Gorkha community in the Darjeeling hills.

"The TMC is running a false campaign in the north Bengal hills through some local leaders. They are telling the people that if the NRC is implemented in Bengal, the Gorkhas living in the hills will have to leave the state," Sinha said.

The TMC was indulging in falsehood as it was scared of the BJP's rising popularity in the hills and foothills of north Bengal, he added.

"I want to tell the community only those who have been identified as infiltrators will be shifted out of the state and the country, once the NRC is implemented," he said.

The Modi government's citizenship bill enables Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and Chakma refugees in India to get the country's citizenship. "The Gorkhas are mostly Hindus or Buddhists. Thus, there is no confusion over their citizenship," he said.

Sinha, the BJP candidate from the North Kolkata constituency, also referred to the tussle between the Bengal government and the BJP over the venue of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Siliguri on April 3.

"The ground, often used by the TMC to hold public meetings, was not given for Modiji's rally and the BJP had to make alternative arrangements. Their (Bengal government's) tradition of denying permission for BJP rallies continues, but such things won't be able to stop us," he said.

Condemning the attack on BJP candidate Bharati Ghosh's vehicle on Saturday, Sinha said, "We have complained to the Election Commission for appropriate action against offenders."

He said the BJP has also appealed the EC to arrest people with criminal records within seven days. "The EC has assured us action against the criminals," the BJP leader said.

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