The Centre on Friday said there has been no attempt to distort the Gorkha history and belittle their contribution to India's freedom struggle.
Responding to an apprehension expression by TMC member Shanta Chhetri during Zero Hour, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said, "At the outset, let me categorically say the nation is very proud of the contribution of the Gorkha community and its role in history is well recognised by everybody."
Holding that the TMC leader was not appraised of the reality, the minister said, "There is absolutely no attempt at all to distort history and in anyway belittle the role of Gorkhas."
Role of Gorkhas in Indian history is absolutely and prominently respected, he said, adding there seems to be distortion in the presentation made by the MP.
During Zero Hour, Chhetri expressed concern that names of two Gorkha freedom fighters -- Mahaveer Giri and Khadga Bahadur Singh Bista - were not only misspelled but their nationality was wrongly mentioned as Nepalese.
The two of them had participated with Mahatma Gandhi in the famour Dandi March and their names are mentioned at the pedestal present at the Gandhi Smriti here in the national capital, she said.
Chhetri said Mahaveer Giri is from Darjeeling, but he has been declared a Nepalese national. Khadga Bahadur Singh Bista hails from Dehradun, but has been declared a Nepalese national. His surname is also wrongly mentioned as Giri. Another Gorkha freedom fighter name Durga Malla has also been misspelled as Dargah Malla on the pedestal present at Shaheed park at Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, she said.
"I urge the Culture Minister to correct these mistakes immediately. Such mistakes are not only matter of insult to Indian Gorkha freedom fighters but also challenges the identify of Gorkha community in general," Chhetri noted.
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