Darjeeling: Anit Thapa, Chairman, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) and General Secretary has insisted that henceforth Hills should choose leaders who are son/ daughter of the soil and not outsiders. "I have had this realisation that we need to choose our leaders from the Hills irrespective of political affiliations. At least a local would know the reality on ground zero. This is impossible for an outsider to know," remarked Thapa, reacting to BJP MP Raju Bistas allegation that GTA leaders have disappeared amidst increase in Covid-19 cases in the Hills. Thapa stated that the residents of GTA know what the leaders are doing and that he does not see any reason to advertise. Raju Bista had won the election with a huge margin. What has his contribution been towards combating Covid-19 in his constituency Darjeeling?" questioned Thapa. On Tuesday, Thapa made an appeal that such a grave issue like Covid-19 should not be politicized. "We have seen that MP Bista has criticized our efforts of opening up the Triveni Covid Hospital in the GTA area. Let me educate the MP that the GTA is an administrative instrument with limited resources. However we have tried our best and have come up with an excellent hospital at Triveni with all modern amenities," stated Thapa. The Covid hospital in Triveni boasts of ventilators and dialysis units and a TrueNAT machine. "Rather than criticizing, if he would have helped with the hospital by providing certain amenities it would have been better. We had time and again requested him of setting up a full fledged testing lab in the hospital but there has been no response. We have microbiologists also to run it," stated Thapa. The GTA Chairman stated that instead of criticizing MP Bista should be in his constituency helping to ease the Covid-19 situation.Answering to criticisms regarding the growing number of cases in the GTA area, and frontline workers being affected, Thapa stated: "This is not the situation in GTA alone. It is a phenomenon all over the world and country. As they are working in the field they are vulnerable." Thapa stated that Bista had once claimed that he has given the district administration Rs. 50 lakhs to help combat Covid. "However I am not aware of where he has spent Rs. 50 lakhs. He should clarify this by giving a detailed account through media," demanded Thapa. Incidentally BJP affiliated MP Raju Bista through a press release on August 9 had alleged that the West Bengal Government has been tampering with number of Covid cases and deaths. He further stated that the State Government and GTA should not play with the lives of people. "I am willing to help the State Government and GTA" stated Bista.

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