Kolkata, April 21 (IANS) A permanent political solution in the hills scattered over Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Kurseong in North Bengal will be achieved by next month if the BJP comes to power in West Bengal after the Assembly elections in the state, Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, said on Tuesday.

“On May 6, we will be deciding the matter and coming out with a solution which will bring smiles on the faces of our Gorkha brothers. Be it Congress or Trinamool Congress, they have left out patriotic Gorkha brothers who have been deprived for a long time. I had been coming to the hills for the last nine years. I will announce a solution to the long-standing issue by May 6. That solution will be according to the desire of our Gorkha brothers,” HM Shah said while addressing a campaign rally at Sukna in Kurseong on Tuesday morning.

He also said that since the BJP understands the sentiments and problems of the Gorkha population, none other than the saffron force would be able to solve their problems.

Speaking on the occasion, he said that the negligence of the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government towards the development of the entire North Bengal is evident from the state government’s paltry budgetary allocation for the region.

“In the last budget, the state government had allocated Rs 2,000 crore for the entire North Bengal. But for minority and madrasa education development, the budgetary allocation is as high as Rs 5,800 crore. But the people of North Bengal will not tolerate this approach anymore,” Shah said.

He also accused the Chief Minister of making attempts to destroy the rich heritage of Gorkha culture. “The Gorkhas have a glorious history. Mamata Banerjee is trying to destroy that history and culture. The same thing was done first by Congress and then by CPI(M). It is high time now that such injustice on our Gorkha brothers and sisters should stop,” said Shah.

He also said that the West Bengal government had deliberately and perpetually refrained from sending representatives to the tripartite meeting convened by the Union Home Minister to discuss a permanent political solution in the hills.

“Since I became the Union Home Minister, I have convened at least three meetings on this issue. But Mamata Banerjee did not send any representative to the meeting even once. I want to tell the Chief Minister that we are not dependent on her to solve this issue. I know what is on the minds of our Grokha brothers and sisters. Hence, the solution would be achieved accordingly,” he said.

–IANS

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