Morcha chief takes jibe at Ahluwalia's Bhumi Putra remark

Darjeeling: A statement from SS Ahluwalia, Union Minister of State and Darjeeling Member of Parliament, has drawn flak from political outfits in the Hills.

With elections round the corner most of the hill political parties have demanded that "Bhumi Putra" (son of the soil) or local candidates be fielded from the Darjeeling constituency.

Reacting to this Ahluwalia on Thursday had said the term Bhumi Putra should be defined clearly.

"He said whosoever were demanding Bhumi Putra candidates are themselves from Nepal," said Binoy Tamang, President, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM).

Incidentally, Ahluwalia, a BJP candidate, had been fielded from Darjeeling in 2014. Backed by the GJM, he had won the elections.

"We will seek legal recourse. MP Ahluwalia has to prove his allegations. When we supported him he won by nearly 2 lakh votes. At that time why had he not questioned where his supporters and voters are from? He has to take back his statement and seek apology," said Tamang.

Tamang said with this statement both Ahluwalia and the BJP have been exposed. "All the Gorkhas residing throughout India should condemn this statement. All Hill political parties and non-political Gorkha organisations throughout India should launch protests," Tamang said.

The Hills witnessed widespread protests and an effigy of SS Ahluwalia was torched.

Reacting to this, Ahluwalia said his statements had been misinterpreted. He said his statement has been directed at two persons.

"One whose father joined the British Army based on his Nepali citizenship and the other who was working in Dubai till a few years ago on a Nepali passport. Can we call them son of the soil? asked Ahluwalia.

Tamang, whose father had served in the British Army was quick to react to this.

"My father joined the British army from Jalapahar, Darjeeling, in 1952 as in 1890, Gorkha Recruiting Depot was established at Ghoom (Darjeeling) for recruitment of Nepalese from the Eastern Nepal and also for Indian Gorkhas from Darjeeling. My grandparents and my father hail from Bloomfield tea garden, Dali in Darjeeling. MP Ahluwalia can visit my place and see for himself where my grandparents are buried. His statement is an insult to all the Gorkha jawans serving the nation and the Gorkha ex-servicemen of the British army. His party has always viewed the Gorkhas merely as a vote bank. And it's high time that the Gorkhas understand this bitter truth," Tamang said.