Mukesh Sharma

Kalimpong, Jan 16

Pushing forward its demand for a ‘Tribal Status’ the Rai community of the hills today hit the streets with a manmoth rally amidst the glittering Kalimpong town ahead of the Bengal chief minister Mamata Bannerjee’s visit to the hills. The Rai community, a conspicuous part of the Gorkhas living in the hills believes they are originally tribal’s who has not been recognized by the government despite placing their demands on several occasions. The community Thursday announced that they would henceforth raise their voice on a bigger scale and to begin with the community has already slated a relay hunger strike on January 18 in the hills followed by dharnas in Delhi and Kolkata.

With Rai’s now making a beeline for yet another demand in context to what the other communities demanding formation of a Development board in lieu with the formation of Lepcha Devel-opment Council, Mamata Bannerjee’s ploy of divisive politics to dislodge the Gorkhaland Movement spearheaded by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) seems to be moving in the right direction. The other community demanding such board has been the Tamangs and the chief minister has already sent her consent to attend a programme organized by the community at Mirik on January 21.

However, the Rai’s celebrating its new year today said it wants tribal status under article 366 (24) and 372 of the Indian constitution.

“We constitute around 4 lakh population in the hills and we are originally tribal’s. It is time for us to rise and demand for our rights,” said Sandip Kulung, spokesperson of the Rai Rights Movement committee further demanding that the Rai subject be introduced in hill school along with construction of Rai Bhawan in all the three hill sub-division. The community has its own dialect

unlike the Lepchas who were accorded a Lepcha Development Council in a controversial atmosphere last August.