The Gorkha Apex Committee (GAC) has welcomed the statements of Union minister of State for Home Affairs Kiran Rijiju given to media assuring tribal status to Gorkha community within December.
Rijiju had reportedly told media in New Delhi that the tribal status demand of several communities in Northeast including Gorkha community are with the Prime Minister’s Office for consideration within December.
“The Union minister of State for Home Affairs in his statement has clearly said that the tribal status is not just for the Gorkhas of Sikkim and Darjeeling but for the entire Gorkha community residing across India. From his statement it is clear that the majority people of Sikkim are Gorkhas,” said GAC chief convener Passang Sherpa in a press conference today here at Press Club of Sikkim.
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| Gorkha Apex Committee (GAC) press release page 1 |
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| Gorkha Apex Committee (GAC) press release page 2 |
Sherpa said the continuous representations made by the GAC on tribal status demand have been fruitful.
“We extend our gratitude to the Central leadership for their fore sightedness which has helped clarify the looming misconception in the State of Sikkim as Gorkhas have been a misnomer as Nepali here. Such assurance of tribal status to Gorkha community has provided us an opportunity to correct our historical mistake regarding community and citizenship. The GAC shall reach out to every nook and corner to sensitize the common people of Sikkim on the same. We hope that the leaders of Sikkim will refrain themselves from misleading the people of Sikkim from now on,” said the GAC members.
Source – nelive.in
