GJM delegation meets Rajnath; seeks ST status to Gorkhas

A six-member delegation of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and apprised him about the long pending demand of the Gorkhas living in West Bengal and northeastern states for granting the Scheduled Tribe status.

The delegation, led by Darjeeling MP and Minister of State for Electronics S S Ahluwalia, apprised him about the long pending demands of 11 Gorkha communities living in West Bengal, Sikkim and other northeastern states for granting of the ST status, a release issued by the GJM said.

Ahluwalia also requested the home minister to immediately convene an official meeting, as promised last year, to consider the pending issues and address the grievances of people in Darjeeling and neighbouring regions.

Ahluwalia recalled that the agitating members of the GJM had withdrawn their 104-day long agitation on September 26, 2017, following an appeal from the home minister.

The minister informed Singh that there was an urgent need to look into the long pending demands of the local people, who faced acute hardship during the last year's agitation.

The home minister has assured the delegation that a meeting will be convened soon, the release said.