Alipurduar, West Bengal – Darjeeling Lok Sabha MP and BJP national spokesperson Raju Bista addressed a large rally at Toorsa Tea Garden Khel Maidan in Kalchini, Alipurduar district, on Monday. He emphasized the development progress in the Darjeeling hills, Terai, and Dooars regions under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership while criticizing the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government’s handling of local issues.
Bista described the area as vibrant and diverse, particularly noting the border regions of Kalchini and Jaigaon. He accused the TMC of discriminating against the region for decades, suppressing tea garden workers, denying Parja-Patta rights to tea and cinchona garden workers, and failing to implement the Forest Rights Act of 2006 for forest village residents. He also pointed to a lack of economic opportunities for youth, rigged appointments in government and teaching posts, and the prevalence of mafias involved in land, sand, human trafficking, arms, drugs, illegal coal mining, PDS, recruitment, and health sectors. Bista claimed the TMC is engaging in demographic engineering by replacing indigenous people.
In contrast, Bista highlighted the central government’s focus on inclusive development through the “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” approach, prioritizing the Dooars, Terai, and hill regions. He mentioned recent initiatives, including the inauguration of several trains from North Bengal as a New Year’s gift, development of Alipurduar Railway Station under the Amrit Bharat scheme, construction of an alternative bridge over the Teesta River at a cost of Rs 1,172 crore, and consideration of a Namo Bharat Rail service from Siliguri to Hashimara. Plans for a new civil terminal at Hashimara Airport were also noted.
Bista added that the implementation of the Four New Labour Codes would improve wages, living conditions, and social security for tea garden workers. He stated that after 78 years of independence, the region is experiencing real and sustained development under Modi’s leadership.
Bista assured residents of tea gardens, forest busties, and cinchona gardens that they would receive justice, terming it as “PM Modi’s Guarantee” and “BJP’s Guarantee.”
