GJM to intensify statehood agitation after Oct 20

Darjeeling

17 Sep 2013

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee may have managed to stall the statehood movement using administrative and political machinery, but Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Bimal Gurung has refused to retreat and today declared the agitation would grow more intense after October 20.

Addressing party supporters at Chowrastha in the afternoon, the GJM chief accused the state and central governments of being impervious and failing to understand the democratic movement.

“We are carrying out a democratic and peaceful agitation for our rights,” said Gurung. “But both the state and central governments have failed to understand us. It seems ‘namastes’ and ‘dharnas’ will not do. We honoured the request of the union home minister and suspended our movement. However, it is now time to intensify the agitation, the plans for which I will announce on October 20.”

The GJM called off its month-long strike demanding a separate Gorkhaland state on September 10, but had said it would keep a close watch over New Delhi’s approach and chalk out future programmes accordingly at a meeting scheduled on October 19.

Reiterating his earlier stand of not engaging with the state government for talks, the GJM leader put the onus on the Centre. “There is no question of negotiating with Bengal. Since the union home minister has given us his assurance, the responsibility now lies with him to take the initiative to settle the Darjeeling hills issue,” said Gurung.

A delegation of former and present MPs and MLAs had called on union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on September 3 when he assured of a tripartite meeting soon provided the GJM lift its agitation.

The GJM chief also asked the public to get ready for a prolonged and intensified agitation even as he averred the state government would use every measure at its disposal to crush the statehood movement.

“The Nari and Yuwa fronts should be ready. The people too must be prepared to sacrifice, as also schools and business establishments. The government has put its hands on fire and it will burn. I know they (state government) will not leave me, but I will also teach a sound lesson,” warned Gurung.

Since the start of the renewed statehood agitation in July, the police have arrested more than 1,000 GJM activists and leaders including elected Gorkhaland Territorial Administration members as well as businessmen suspected of supporting the movement. Salaries of government employees who did not report to duty in August have also been deducted.

Meanwhile, on allegations about the GJM being backed by a foreign hand, Gurung snapped, “The people of the hills are wholeheartedly supporting the movement. But we have information about the funding source of the Trinamool Congress, which I will expose at a proper time.”

Further, he pointed out arresting people would not suppress the statehood movement. “Why arrest a few people? Let the state government say so and we will line up in thousands. Even if I am killed another Bimal Gurung will come forward. But our separate statehood demand will not fizzle out,” said the GJM president.

Meanwhile, GJM student leaders Vivek Tamang and Anil Sharma were arrested today in Mirik. Tamang was picked up from a GJM programme venue at Mirik Lake, while Sharma was summoned to the police station and detained. No reasons have been given so far for the arrests.