Morcha tones down protest

VIVEK CHHETRI

Darjeeling, Aug. 16: Hill parties today scaled down the statehood agitation, announcing another “people’s” shutdown from August 19 to 23 but only a programme of torchlight marches and human chains for the next three days.

“Realisation has dawned that achieving a Gorkhaland state would be a long-drawn affair and it’s not feasible to carry on with a shutdown of the hills indefinitely,” a Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leader said, indicating an effort to maintain a degree of normality.

“The leadership has also (taken into account) that the tourist season is approaching and that tourism is a source of livelihood for the majority of the hill people.”

An all-party meeting in Darjeeling today formed a Gorkhaland Joint Action Committee, made up of representatives from nine hill parties, which would decide the future course of the agitation.

The committee called the August 19-23 shutdown “in deference to the wishes of the people” and named it “Ghar Bhitra Janta” (people inside homes). Calcutta High Court had earlier ruled the August 13-14 “janata” curfew illegal.

“If you say the (new) programme (involves) just a change of nomenclature, that is your interpretation,” Morcha leader Raju Pradhan said.

The agitation will be limited to torch rallies on August 24 and 25, followed by a two-hour human chain on highways and streets on August 26. On August 18, the joint action committee will chalk out the post-August 26 programme.

Morcha president Bimal Gurung chaired the all-party meeting, which nominated Enos Das Pradhan of the apolitical Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh as joint action committee chairman. J.B. Rai of the Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists was made vice-chairman.

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Strikes not a solution, says Lama

Darjeeling, Aug. 16: Mahendra P. Lama, the pro-vice chancellor of Indira Gandhi Open National University who earlier announced his decision to contest the Lok Sabha election from the Darjeeling constituency, today held a public meeting here and said politics of general strike would not help solve hill problems.

Lama walked for 40km from Kurseong to Darjeeling with his followers today and held a meeting at Chowrastha. “In the past 27 years, the hills have been closed for 234 days. But there has been no result. Strikes are not good for the region and the focus for Gorkhaland must be in Delhi,” said Lama.

The educationist also called upon the hill leaders to refrain from using students in political rallies. “These students will get an opportunity to participate in rallies later in their lives but they will not get an opportunity to study later.”

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Hint at talks with governor

VIVEK CHHETRI

Darjeeling, Aug. 16: The pro-statehood hill parties today expressed readiness for a dialogue with the Bengal governor but adopted the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s stand of not talking to the state government.

“There is no point talking to the Bengal government, because they will not talk about a Gorkhaland state. However, if the governor (is willing to) intervene and act as a mediator, we are ready to talk to him ---- if he invites us,” said Morcha leader Raju Pradhan.

Pradhan has been appointed coordinator of the Gorkhaland Joint Action Committee, formed by an all-party meeting in Darjeeling today to decide the course of the agitation.

The presidents and vice-presidents of the Morcha, Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists, Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League, Gorkha Rashtriya Congress, Congress, BJP, Gorkhaland Rajya Nirman Morcha, Bharatiya Gorkha Parisang and the Gorkhaland Task Force have been made ex-officio members of the committee.

The committee today announced a five-day shutdown from August 19 to 23 but kept the judiciary out of its purview. “The committee has decided to call the Ghar Bhitra Janata (people inside homes) to honour the people’s wishes,” Pradhan said.

Observers believe that since emotions are still running high on the statehood issue, the nine parties decided on another shutdown before scaling the agitation down.

The committee, however, made it clear it was preparing for the long haul. “It (grant of statehood) is a long-drawn process and the people are its power house. We have to preserve our resources,” Pradhan said.

His remark seemed to imply the committee did not want to hobble the region’s economy, especially with the tourist season drawing near.

Sabha delay

R.D. Meena, principal secretary to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), said a meeting of the autonomous body’s Sabha to elect a new chief executive would be held only after serving notices to the members.

“We have received a letter from the GTA chairman expressing his desire to hold a GTA Sabha on August 16. However, the meeting to elect the new chief executive will be held after serving notices. We shall have to abide by the procedures laid down in the GTA Act and Rules.”

Sources said a 10-day notice would have to be served.

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Interview - Bimal Gurung Gorkha Janamukti Morcha Chief

The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) leadership will not abide by the diktats of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, averred party chief Bimal Gurung during a freewheeling chat over a cup of coffee with Tamal Sengupta on Thursday. It was perhaps the first such interaction with this elusive Gorkha leader who virtually rules the hills of Darjeeling. During the no-holds-barred interview, spanning well over 40 minutes, at his Singamari party office in Darjeeling, Gurung made a scathing attack on Mamata, blamed her for practising double standard and pushing the Hills to the edge of an irretrievable crisis. Edited excerpts:



 You had a very good relation with Mamata Banerjee. She visited Darjeeling a number of times since taking over as the chief minister and held talks with you. Do you have any special expectation from her?

Past is past. Now, she doesn't even like to hear the word, Gorkhaland. We don't have any expectation from her. She has adopted a suppressive measure to towards our movement. But she did not realise that the current movement in Darjeeling is no longer a GJM movement, it has turned into a people movement. The people are coming on to the streets spontaneously and holding agitation to realise their demand for Gorkhaland. No such people movement can be stopped by the police and the military. It would not be possible for Mamata Banerjee to stop this movement.

Today is our Independence Day and we are observing it with great respect. But her government is still arresting our people, who are citizens of India. Such a move by her government will not solve the problem, and instead, will deteriorate the situation.

What message do you want to give to the chief minister today when the entire nation is celebrating the Independence Day?

I just want to convey a very simple message to the chief minister. We don't have any expectation from her. We know it very clearly that she is a double-faced woman. She had opposed deployment of central forces during the panchayat elections. But now she is bringing more and more central forces to frustrate our movement. Her action will force the people of Darjeeling to go for more severe movement. Of course, we will not follow the path of violence but, at the same time, we will not give up our demand for a separate state.

Mamata's government is following a violent policy to stop us from raising our voice for Gorkhaland. She has probably forgotten that we are also sons of the soil and not second-class citizens. We are not demanding a separate country for the Gorkhas, but a separate state as we have our own culture, language and geographical territory. Our culture is different from the people on the plains. Don't forget it's a 107-year-old demand.

We will not accept Mamata Banerjee's diktat. We will not obey her instructions. Darjeeling will go on its own way and Mamata Banerjee would never be able to establish her dominance in the Hills. The people of Darjeeling have rejected her. I have been told that some Trinamool Congress leaders have advised the Gorkhas to go to China or Nepal and stay there. I don't know how far it is true. But I can anticipate easily the attitude of the ruling party of Bengal towards us, the Gorkhas.

Are you making any moves to get in touch with the central government?

Not at the moment. Our delegation had met the Union home minister several times and submitted a memorandum in which we have categorically explained our position and we made it clear to the Centre that we want Gorkhaland. Now it is the Centre's turn to respond. The Centre can't shirk its responsibilities. It can't ignore a genuine demand of the people of Darjeeling. I want to give a simple message to the prime minister, to the Union home minister and to Sonia Gandhi on this auspicious Independence Day today: The Centre should interfere into the Darjeeling issue. They will have to consider our only demand of statehood with sympathy.

Do you think that the Centre will interfere?

They (the Centre) should. Even though law and order is a state subject, the Centre has the responsibility to listen to our demand with sympathy. Since the state government is taking suppressive measures against us, we want the Centre to interfere. This is what I feel and I don't know what the Centre would do. For whom does the Centre work? It is not America and neither Pakistan. It is our government and we, as citizens of this country, have the constitutional right to forward our demand to it.

You have relaxed the janata curfew till Sunday (August 18). But you haven't said anything on what would happen after Sunday. Will you continue with your movement?

Of course. We will decide our next steps during our meeting on Friday. I can tell you that all the Gorkhas in India are now with us. They are supporting our movement from the core of their heart. Our job will be to unite them and mount pressure on the Centre to accept the demand for Gorkhaland. If the Centre can consider Telangana statehood demand, what prevents them from considering the Gorkhaland issue, which is older than Telangana? I can tell you one thing. This time, we will not leave our movement halfway. We will not stop until the demand is accepted by the Centre. Our next movement might be fiercer than the current one. But we will not go for any armed revolution. We will take it forward as a democratic movement.

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Gorkhaland Joint Action Committee formed - fresh agitation from August 19

Darjeeling 16 August:

 Even as Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) supremo Bimal Gurung on Friday indicated that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is currently having an edge in the war of nerves between the Morcha and state over Gorkhaland issue, the GJM today threatened to resume agitation from August 19. 


According to a Facebook post Gurung wrote, "The agitation will continue from the 19th." 

However, the form of agitation is still not clear. 

A new committee was formed today in Darjeeling which announced a fresh five day agitation programme from August 19 changing the nomenclature of the 'janata curfew' to 'ghar bitrai janta' (people inside homes) on their demand for a separate Gorkhaland. 

Now Gorkhaland agitation will be fought by Gorkhaland Joint Action Committee
Rev. Dr. Enos Das Pradhan, Chairmanship (GTF)
Mr. J.B. Rai , Vice Chairman, (C.P.R.M)
Mr. Raju Pradhan- Coordinator (GJM)
Executive Members - Secretary & President of all parties

Earlier, the GJM had given a relaxation in the indefinite bandh to demand Gorkhaland in the Darjeeling hills for four days from Independence day. 

Meawhile, Bimal Gurung also urged the West Bengal government to refrain from "bulldozing masses of Darjeeling Hills with the barrel of gun."

"The West Bengal government should stop terrorising people by brandishing gun. This will not help the situation," Gurung said. 

Further while pressing on their demand of a separate state known as Gorkhaland, Gurung added, "The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha will continue to exercise their freedom of expression, speech and will assemble peacefully to press for their demand for Gorkhaland." 

Asked about scarcity of food supplies, Gurung said "such things hardly matter in a broader perspective. We are ready to fight for Gorkhaland."

"The people will stay at home. This is their wish. We honour their wish. They have total support for Gorkhaland," a spokesman of the newly-formed body, Gorkhaland Joint Action Committee of which GJM was a constituent, said. 

On whether shops and markets would be open during the five-day agitation, he said that none would stir out of their houses to make purchases. 

"All programs that will be announced from today will be by GJAC," Gorkka Janmukti Morcha president Bimal Gurung said in a Facebook post.

Asked that the Calcutta High Court expressing displeasure over continuance of bandh in the hills in the name of janata curfew, the spokesman replied, "We have not given any call for a janata curfew." 

He said that a human chain programme in the hills would be held on August 26 when the people would wear black bands and carry posters in support of Gorkhaland and to "protest against the attitude of the West Bengal government." 

Before that a 'rakhi procession' would be taken out on August 24 and 25, he told reporters. 

He also demanded the intervention of the central government to resolve the issue. 

On whether they would talk to West Bengal Governor MK Narayanan, he said that if the Governor would invite them, they would talk to him. 

When asked about the fate of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, the hill council, he said that a resolution has already been passed at the earlier all-party meeting that "GTA was a failure and would be dissolved at an appropriate time. Today's meeting of the committee reiterated this."

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Flashpoints pile up in hills State hits strike staff with salary cut

Aug. 13: Mamata Banerjee today opened a new front in the battle in the Darjeeling hills by initiating the process of cutting the pay of government employees who stayed away from work during the strike that started on August 3.

Chief secretary Sanjay Mitra said at Writers’ Buildings: “We have sent the necessary order to the district.”

The order sent to the Darjeeling district authorities to deduct salary and leave in three sub-divisions — Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong — will affect a large majority of the over 20,000 employees who took part in the strike called by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha.

Sources said that more than 95 per cent government employees were absent during the strike days. An order, released on February 22 last year, in which it was announced no government employee would be granted leave on a bandh day, was reissued.

The move was seen by the Morcha spearheading the statehood agitation as another hostile act, adding to the conflict that arose in the day over naming a new chief executive to the body administering the hills.

Bimal Gurung, the Morcha chief, had resigned as the head of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Sabha at the beginning of the movement, stirred into action again by the announcement of a separate Telangana state.

The Morcha had more or less decided to install 86-year-old Brikhu Bhusal, a nominated member of the Sabha, to the post. But the government let it be known that Sabha members could not put a nominated member at the top as it went against the GTA legislation.

Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri said: “The state government will not be able to suppress the people’s movement by taking steps to deduct the salaries of its employees.”

On August 8, the chief secretary had asked the government employees in the hills to join their offices, warning that failing to do so would be liable for punishment.

Home department officials said the employees who did not attend work during the strike would be showcaused first and if they failed to provide an acceptable reason for their absence, pay would be cut.

Lack of transport will not be counted as a reason for not attending office.

An upper division clerk at the district collectorate said: “Senior bureaucrats from Calcutta should come up to the hills during bandh days and try and reach office without police escort. They should experience this first before taking decisions to cut our salary.”

Right from the start of the agitation the government had adopted a tough stand, refusing to negotiate till the Morcha called off the strike. Armed with a high court order ruling the strike illegal and unconstitutional, the chief minister threatened that the government would be forced to take action if it was not called off.

Given a situation where the two sides are set on a collision course, the decision to cut pay can have the opposite effect of stiffening the resolve of the statehood supporters. Darjeeling today wore the look of a ghost town with not a soul stirring in the streets, except security personnel, in response to the Morcha’s call to enforce what it called a janata curfew.

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Stage set for tug of war on GTA chief - Home secy says nominee can’t head hill council, Morcha splits hairs on act

VIVEK CHHETRI

Darjeeling, Aug. 13: The state government today opened a fresh flank of conflict with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha over the process of electing Bimal Gurung’s successor to head the GTA Sabha.

According to sources, home secretary Basudeb Banerjee, who visited Darjeeling today, said the GTA Sabha members could not make a nominated member head the autonomous body as it went against the GTA act.

The Morcha had more or less decided to install 86-year-old Brikhu Bhusal, a nominated member of the Sabha who has a tailoring business, as Morcha chief Bimal Gurung has resigned. The Morcha has two nominated members in the Sabha, Trinamul three.

A source said: “The state government is of the opinion that if a nominated member is to be made the chief executive, then the Sabha will have to write to the government which will then select a nominated member to be the chief executive. However, the state government believes that even this nominated chief executive will have to conduct elections within 15 days to elect a chief executive from among the elected GTA members.”

The Morcha, however, has read the GTA act differently.

Roshan Giri, the party’s general secretary who is an executive member of the GTA Sabha, said: “The act is not clear on whether only an elected member can be made the chief executive of the GTA.”

A Morcha leader cited various sub-sections of Section 37 of the act in a bid to drive home the point.

The party leader said: “Section 37(6) of the GTA act states that ‘there shall be a chief executive of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration who shall be elected by the elected members from among themselves’.

The Morcha leader said the government was reading only this section but not Section 37(8), which “is more pertinent as it speaks of a casual vacancy as is the case with the office of the chief executive of the GTA”.

He said the first part of Section 37(8) reads: “‘In the case of any casual vacancy in the office of the Chief Executive, caused by death, resignation, removal or otherwise, the elected members shall, in accordance with such procedure as may be prescribed, elect one of the members to fill up the vacancy’.”

The Morcha leader said: “Had it been the intention of the legislature to restrict the choice only to elected members, the language of 37(6) would have been replicated in 37(8). The legislature, however, has chosen to widen the pool of eligible members for the appointment as chief executive to all members whether elected or nominated in the case of casual vacancy.”

What the Morcha leader emphasised was that the first part of Section 37(8) did not specify that the elected members would have to elect a GTA Sabha chief “from among themselves”, unlike Section 37(6).

Sources said the Morcha was citing this sub-section in the GTA Act to drive home the point that a nominated member can be made the chief executive in the event of a “casual vacancy”. Asked about the government’s stand that if the Sabha wanted a nominated member to be chief executive then it should write to the government, the Morcha leader said this provision of the act was not applicable at the moment. “The home secretary is talking about the second part of the Section 37(8) and this cannot be applicable at the moment,” the leader said.

The second part of the Section 37 (8) says if the election is “pending”, the government may appoint “one of the members to be the Chief Executive who shall hold office… until a Chief Executive, elected in accordance with the provisions of this Act and the rules made thereunder enters upon his office”.

The Morcha leader said: “There is no question of the election being pending as the GTA Sabha has been called to elect a chief executive and the state government’s interpretation is wrong.”

Sources today said Banerjee, who held an administrative meeting at Richmond Hill in Darjeeling, directed GTA principal secretary R.D. Meena to accept the request made by Bhupendra Pradhan, the chairman of the GTA Sabha, to call a meeting to elect the next chief executive on August 16.

“A decision was today taken that the GTA Sabha meeting will be held at 2.30pm on August 16 and the same has been communicated over phone to the GTA Sabha members,” said a hill source.

Sources in the Morcha said the party’s legal cell was exploring possibilities of taking the state government to court if it did not allow the election of the nominated member.

The Morcha was weighing all options, including going to court. The final call would be taken by Gurung in a day or two, the Morcha source said.

Gurung today said the agitation would resume on August 19.

“The agitation will continue from the August 19. The Morcha will continue to exercise its freedom of expression, speech and will assemble peacefully to press their demand for Gorkhaland. We will let the people know our plans on August 16,” he said near his home in Tukvar.

The home secretary also held a meeting on law and order. “To start with, water canons will be brought to Darjeeling next week,” said a source.

The police have today arrested 30 Morcha activists and Manoj Tamang, a Morcha leader from Gorubathan.

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Delhi to talk to state seekers - Parleys to be held soon but no deadline set, HC considers villagers’ demand

Guwahati/New Delhi, Aug. 13: The Centre has agreed to talk to groups agitating for statehood in Assam.

Bharat Chandra Narah, press adviser to chief minister Tarun Gogoi, told The Telegraph that the decision was arrived at during Gogoi’s meeting with acting home minister P. Chidambaram late this afternoon.

“Talks will be held with Karbi, Bodo, Koch and Dimasa groups very soon. The process for negotiations will start soon,” Narah, quoting Gogoi, said late this evening.

Gogoi met Chidambaram at 4pm after a news meet.

Narah said the Gogoi government appealed to all statehood supporters to put off their agitations, as negotiations would start very soon.

However, no date was announced for the talks.

Gogoi is returning from Delhi tomorrow afternoon. He had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union home secretary Anil Goswami on the matter of statehood yesterday. Before leaving for Delhi, he had met several agitating groups and assured them that he would act as facilitator for talks between them and the Centre as it was Delhi, which would have to take a call on the demand for separate states.

Earlier, during the press conference, Gogoi said he had impressed upon central leaders the need to start tripartite talks with groups demanding new states. He had made some suggestions but the Centre has to agree to it and decide what to do.

Gogoi said he was hopeful, confident and positive about dealing with the situation but the ball was in the Centre’s court.

He refused to divulge what suggestions he had made, but a “strategy” has been worked out to deal with the agitation, The Telegraph has learnt.

Sources said after Independence Day, the joint secretary (Northeast) in the ministry of home affairs, Shambhu Singh, is expected to visit Guwahati and meet Gogoi to finalise the modalities for talks. Various groups may then be invited to New Delhi for negotiations.

To the protesters, the chief minister said the procedure of talking to the Centre and resultant action would take time.

“Don’t give a deadline,” he told reporters, sending a message to the All Bodo Students’ Union (Absu). He asked the student body to give a reasonable time-frame of at least a fortnight for a schedule to be fixed for tripartite talks.

The Absu and the Bodo National Conference had met Gogoi last week where the chief minister is believed to have assured Absu that a date would be announced today.

Referring to the statehood agitations that singed the state, Gogoi said, “The situation had deteriorated to the extent that we had to fire thrice and call the army,” he said, adding that 40 people had been injured in the process.

Gogoi refused to take a stand on suggestions of a second State Reorganisation Commission. He said there were two views on it: one in favour and the other suggesting that it would open a Pandora’s box.

The Northeast has demands for several new states, including Bodoland, Kamtapur, Barak Valley and also in Nagaland and Manipur. While the demands existed, these have been revived following the Telangana declaration.

Absu meeting

The Absu met in Kokrajhar this evening to discuss its next course of action to press for a separate state. Its president Promode Boro said, “We will make the decision public tomorrow.”

The union had set today as the deadline for announcing tripratite talks on “Bodoland”.

Boro accused the state government of trying to destabilise the movement by using forces and appealed to it to ask the security forces to exercise restraint.

The Centre has sent additional 25 companies of paramilitary forces for deployment in Bodoland Territorial Areas District and Karbi Anglong.

Boro said when Bodofa Upendranath Brahma launched the separate state movement in 1987 in a peaceful, democratic way, the state government allegedly killed many Bodos. But the unprovoked violence did not deter them. He said the Bodos have reached the end of their patience.

It urged the government to resolve the issue on the basis of legitimacy, geographical convenience and administrative convenience, as the region includes the 32 tribal belts and blocks on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra.

In another development, Gauhati High Court today asked governor J.B. Patnaik to examine the demand made by residents of 39 villages in Baksa and Udalguri districts for exclusion from the BTAD.

The court passed the order after hearing a petition filed by the villagers seeking exclusion of the villages from the BTAD on the ground that a majority of the population in these villages were non-tribal.

The governor has been asked to inform the court about his decision within four months.

The high court had passed a similar order on August 8 in connection with another petition seeking exclusion of 100 villages in Baksa district from the BTAD on the ground that 90 per cent of the population in the villages were non-tribal.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY PREETAM B. CHOUDHURY IN KOKRAJHAR

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Janata heeds curfew call

MEGHDEEP BHATTACHARYYA AND VIVEK CHHETRI

Darjeeling, Aug. 13: Darjeeling today stayed shuttered, heeding the collective janata curfew call given by several Darjeeling parties.

Almost every shop was shut, and hardly anyone ventured out in the hill town, barring a few children who wanted to play in the Mall.

A medicine store in the town’s main market square, Chowk Bazar, was open but got just one customer.

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Bimal Gurung had announced the janata curfew on August 10 in retaliation to Mamata Banerjee’s 72-hour strike withdrawal ultimatum.

The Morcha had said there would be no picketing or protests on August 13 and 14 to prove that the statehood campaign had the support of the people, and they would stay indoors despite the lack of political coercion on the streets.

Senior Morcha leader and Kalimpong MLA Harka Bahadur Chhetri said the response today should make it “abundantly clear” to the state government what the people of Darjeeling wanted.

“The government’s crackdown and threats are insensitive to the people. The janata curfew, we hope, would open its eyes to the reality. The Morcha is not going to backtrack from the movement,” Chhetri said this evening.

Today, Chowk Bazar, where several statehood marches were held from August 3 till yesterday, was desolate. The Mall that is crowded even in the tourism off-season had a few children, their grandfathers and stray dogs.

A police patrol van repeatedly made an announcement urging candidates appearing for a sub-inspector’s examination to collect their admit cards from the local police station.

“I have never seen a curfew or a strike succeed like this, without any active intimidation. Despite the problems of dwindling food supplies and mounting losses in trade, the people have stood by the president (of the Morcha Bimal Gurung),” said 84-year-old Amar Pradhan, a retired subedar in the army while watching over his grandson in the Mall.

This was the second call for such a curfew in recent years. In February 2010, then Akhil Bhartiya Gorkha League’s chief Madan Tamang had called for a janata curfew against the Morcha. The people had not responded.

Emergency service providers, too, did not come out today. Darjeeling town did not see the water tankers in the morning, nor did families get milk supply. There were no newspapers to read to kill time. These services have always been exempt during general strikes in the hills.

The only office that had people in it was of the Darjeeling district magistrate’s. Newly-appointed DM Puneet Yadav and a handful of senior officials were present through the day.

The Morcha had said it would relax the strike on Independence Day. Yesterday, it extended the breather to August 18 to allow people to stock up on essential items.

Sources close to the Morcha said the next course of action would be decided after a response from the state government.

“Through its tough stand, the government is trying to discredit Gurung and his fellow leaders, but there is no attempt to contest the demand for statehood…. So, it is likely that the problems in the hills will continue,” said a senior state government officer.

Some homemakers complained about the non-availability of milk but most people seemed to be enjoying a day of rest.

“I have a four-year-old son and it just did not strike me that even milk suppliers would not be coming out on the streets today,” said Anju Thapa, a resident of Kakjhora. “Thankfully my neighbour had some to spare.”

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Gorkhas need political unity

 13 August 2013, New Delhi, C S Thapa

Lack of linguistic recognition and regional minority status are bane for their identity.


The demand for Gorkhaland, pending since 1907 is not only about identity of Gorkhas but also, fits into the socio-political, economic and security architecture of the north east. The state re-organisation commission created linguist states and Gorkhas have got nothing in common with West Bengal. The short clip on national television showing  the chief minister of West Bengal speaking in Bengali displaying the Honorable high court order and warning to stop the bandh in 72 hours, clearly shows the disconnect to a neutral bystander. Linguist states are the bedrock of India and the disconnect is so visible, the Gorkhas do not speak or understand Bengali. They have undertaken a very circuitous journey in seeking their identity. It is whispered that during the time of the Constituent Assembly (‘47-’50) OBC status was offered to Gorkhas, which they denied saying they were high caste Hindus. The community than labored for inclusion of the language in the eight schedule of the constitution granted on 22 August 1992, which again did not get them political identity.

Today the community is still struggling for identity, Gorkhaland is one part of it, the other being an all India OBC status and the third being a linguistic minority status. The Hillmen’s Association first raised the issue for a homeland for the people of this area, in 1907 before the Minto-Morley Commission. The issue has been raised more than 17 times some of which are before the Simons Commission in 1929 and subsequently at the time of the Constituent Assembly in 1947 by Damber Singh Gururng, and finally, before the First State Reorganisation Commission, in 1955. It was Subash Ghishing who coined the name Gorkhaland, in mid-1980, and
violence did take place back then and in the earlier avatar of Bimal Gurung (2008-2012).

The Gorkhaland movement always also brings up a couple of false images; the first is of violence in the hills, a legacy of the earlier movement of the eighties, nearly 1,200 dead. Gorkhaland is located in a sensitive  area  for the defence and security of India as it is a sensitive geographical piece of land bordering, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh, the Gorkhas have proved their loyalty time and again. The Siliguri corridor is strengthened by the formation of Gorkhaland and will fit seamlessly into the look east policy of the government of India, with the other states of this region.  Once the vast trade network opens, a well administered state will be able to manage its cross border trade better and also be suitably poised to exploit the south-east Asia trade build up. The economic viability of the state, Gorkhaland will not have any problems, because of its rich biodiversity, tourism, education, tea and cinchona plantation, plus the vast unexplored hydro power.

The hang over of Darjeeling’s past raises another tricky issue. Darjeeling initially belonged to Sikkim, was captured by the Gorkhas, ceded to East India Company in 1816 by the Gorkhas, restored to Sikkim in 1817 and taken on lease by the British  from the King of Sikkim in 1835 and made a protected area. Darjeeling stayed with India at independence in 1947 and Sikkim joined India in 1975.

The greatest weakness of the Gorkhas is that they are in a minority in all geographical areas like Himachal, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Arunachal, Assam except Sikkim (which borders China) and Darjeeling. This weakness has to be converted to strength in vote bank politics. The election result shows that seats are won or lost by one or one and a half per cent swing in votes. If the Gorkhas vote en mass they can create a swing in at least 16 to 20 seats in parliament elections and dozens of seats in state assemblies, but lack of unity and one up man ship have not allowed Gorkhas to get political identity, which in vote bank politics gets seats which again in turn gets progress to the community at large. The other option is to wait for the second state reorganisation commission as and when it is set up.

In the case of Gorkhaland the Achilles heel is local issues take priority over core Identity issue, thus both Subash Ghishing and Bimal Gururng twice took the agitation to a crescendo and blinked at the last moment. In the first instance the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Committee was formed and in the second cases the Gorkha Tribunal Authority. Gorkha civil society needs to bring the various Gorkha political factions together.

The factions are All India Bharatiya Gorkha League (ABGL), headed by Bharati Tamang widow of late Madan Tamang, The Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), Ghishing own, Bimal Gurung own, Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) and the Gorkha Land Task Force consists of four parties headed by R Muskanto and a civil society called Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh, are some of the major national players. The ultimate aim is creation of a Gorkha identity which manifests in creation of a state, in the first part. Once the state is created than only the other two important pieces of Gorkha identity fit in, linguist minority status, as vernacular language over rides culture, and progress through reservation accorded through OBC/tribal status. Once all these are in place then the children have to shed the Khukri for the pen and there will be scope for emancipation for the Gorkha.

Gorkhas identity is too complex to be discussed in a few words except the old saying united they stand and divided they fall. There is a lot of intransigent strength in the Gorkha state once sanctioned, today, one party might have an edge but ten years down the line any national main line party may be popular, traditionally Gorkhas have been Congress supporters but a BJP candidate won in Uttarakhand, some credit must go to the Gorkhas. A state will allow the community to usher in prosperity and be a part of the national main stream. With due reservations the community will be able to prepare its citizen for second tier leadership in the prestigious civil services, its students in prestigious engineering, medical, and business management institutes.

The five fingers of the palm are individually fingers clench them together they become a fist. Gorkhas who form a thin population, a one per cent or more swing population, in all the hill states of India need to unify, and create that one per cent swing which affects seats in sixteen or more parliament seats all over India, than only will they be noticed. Unity could not be more acute than now, and the agitation policy needs a review of logic, which prevails in democracy.
The author is a retired brigadier

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सरकार भ्रमको आतङ्क स्थापित गरेर आन्दोलन दमन गर्ने लाइसेंस लिन चहान्छ - UGRF

 Pradip Lohagun 

कालेबुङ 12 अगस्त। गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति केही बर्ष अघि सशस्त्र क्रान्ति गरेर चर्चामा आएको युनाइटेड गोर्खा रिभ्युल्शनरी फ्रन्ट (युजीआरएफ)-का अध्यक्ष अजय दाहालले राज्य सरकारको आरोपको खन्डन गर्दै आफ्नो समूहले अहिले कुनै पनि सशस्त्र प्रशिक्षण शिविरको सञ्चालन नगरेको स्पष्ट पारेका छन।

राज्यकी मुख्यमंत्री ममता बेनर्जी आफैले गुप्तचर तञ्त्रको रिपोर्टलाई केन्द्र गरी दाहालले खरसाङमा जीएलओ नामक जंगी संगठनको ब्यानरमा हतियारको तालिम दिइरहेको गम्भीर आरोप लगाएपछि दाहालले आज सञ्चारकर्मीहरू अघि आएर आफ्नो स्पष्टीकरण दिएका छन। तिनले पहाडमा अहिले चलिरहेको शान्तिपूर्ण जनान्दोलनलाई दमन गर्न भ्रमको आतंक स्थापित गर्ने प्रयास गरिरहेको उल्टो आरोप लगाएका छन। “सरकार भ्रमको आतङ्क स्थापित गरेर आन्दोलन दमन गर्ने लाइसेंस लिन चहान्छ। जीएलओ अर्कै समूह हो अनि युजीआरएफले सशस्त्र आन्दोलन गरेको कुरा अहिले इतिहास भइसकेको छ। हामीले खरसाङमा हतियारको प्रशिक्षण दिइरहेका छौं भन्ने मुख्यमंत्रीको आरोप गुप्तचरतञ्त्रलाई षडयञ्त्रपूर्ण तरिकाले दूरोपयोग गरेर अलग राज्यको आन्दोलन दबाउने नियत मात्र हो” युजीआरएफ प्रमुख अजय दाहालले भने। तिनले मोर्चाले डाकेको सर्वदलीय बैठकमा भाग लिन आफ्नो दल आग्रही रहेको भए पनि आधिकारिक निम्तो नहुँदा जान नसकेको प्रतिक्रिया पनि ब्यक्त गरेका छन। “बैठकमा निम्तो पाएको भए हामी आफ्नो अनुभवको आधारमा अहिलेको आन्दोलनलाई कसरी दिशा दिन सकिनेछ भन्ने कुराहरू साझा गर्ने थियौं” दाहालले भने। यद्यपि, तिनले विचारमिल्ने आन्दोलनकारी नेतृत्व र कार्यकर्ताहरूको सम्पर्कमा रहेर आफ्नो सुझाउ र प्रतिक्रिया दिने काम जारी राखेको बताएका छन। तिनले राज्य सरकारले जनान्दोलनको भावनाविपरित अडान लिइरहेको टिप्पणी पनि गरेका छन। यस्तो अवस्थामा आन्दोलनकारी नेतृत्वले वैज्ञानिक तरिकाहरूलाई आत्मसात गर्दै क्रमबद्ध रुपमा अघि बढ्नुपर्ने सुझाउ पनि दिएका छन। तिनले अझ भने, “आन्दोलनलाई अझ परिष्कृत पार्नुपर्ने आवश्यकता छ। जनताले सडकमा देखाइ रहेको उर्जा बर्खाको भेलजस्तै हो।यसलाई वैज्ञानिक तरिकाले जलविद्युतमा परिणत गरेर त्यो उर्जालाई राज्यप्राप्तिको लडाईमा खर्चिनुपर्छ। यतिबेला आन्दोलनकारी नेतृत्वले जनताको त्यो भेललाई कुलो खनेर पल्लोपत्टि पन्साउने पो हुन कि भन्ने शंसय पनि बनिएको छ” तिनले आन्दोलनलाई दिशाहीन बनाउन सरकारले तयार पाएका एजेण्टहरू पनि आन्दोलनमा पस्न सक्ने शंका जाहेर गरेका छन। यता, दलका उपप्रमुख रुद्र आचार्यले पनि आन्दोलनको दिशा बिथोल्न सरकारले आफ्नो सम्पूर्ण तञ्त्रहरूको प्रयोग गर्ने विचार व्यक्त गरेका छन। “अहिले हामी सरकारी षडयञ्त्रको शिकार हुनसक्ने अवस्थामा छौं।हामीलाई तारो बनाएर जनतामा मनोवैज्ञानिक दवाउ र दमन गर्ने सरकारले जुन षडयण्ज़्त्र गर्दैछ, यसलाई बुझेर हामीले आफ्नो रणनीति तय गर्नुपर्छ” आचार्यले भने।

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मोर्चा उपाध्यक्ष अनि जीटीए सभासद कल्याण देवान कालेबुङबाट पक्रा परे

 Pradip Lohagun

 कालेबुङ 12 अगस्त। मोर्चा उपाध्यक्ष अनि जीटीए सभासद कल्याण देवान कालेबुङबाट पक्रा परेका छन। जीटीएको 41 नम्बर समष्टिका यी सभासदलाई कालेबुङ पुलिसले आज मध्यान्हमा निकै नाटकीय ढंगमा पक्राउ गरेको थियो। कामविशेषले आफ्नो वाहनमा सवार भएर थानाडाँडा हुँदै कतै जान लागेका प्रो देवानलाई कालेबुङ पुलिसका अधिकारीहरूले गाडी रोकेर एउटा महत्वपूर्ण कुराबारे सोध्न केही बेर थाना आउनोस भन्दै लगेका थिए। शुरुमा तिनले आफू हतार रहेकोले वाहनमा सवार अवस्थामै कुरा गरौंसमेत भएका थिए तर पुलिस अधिकारीहरूले सार्वजनिक स्थलमा कुरा गर्न नमिल्ने भन्दै थाना लगेपछि आफ्नो नियञ्त्रणमा लिएका थिए।

थानाभित्र पसेको निकैबेरसम्म पनि तिनको पक्राउबारे तथ्य खुलाइएको थिएन। पछि थानाको पछिल्लो दैलोबाट निकालेर पुलिस वाहनमा हालेर शारिरीक जाँच गर्न महकुमा अस्पताल लगिएपछि मात्र तिनको पक्राउ भएको पुष्टि भएको थियो। तिनीविरुद्ध जलपाईगुडीको सीजेएम कोर्टको पक्राउको पुर्जी जारी गरेपछि दार्जीलिङ पुलिसले तिनलाई नियञ्त्रणमा लिएको हो। तिनलाई बर्ष 2011-मा जलपाईगुडी जिल्लाको नगरकट्टा थानामा दर्ता गरिएका पुराना मामिलाहरूमा पक्राउ गरिएको छ। बर्ष 2011को 30 जनवरीमा तिनीविरुद्ध नगरकट्टा थाना दुइवटा मुद्दाहरू दर्ता भएको थियो। यी मामिलाहरूको सुनवाइ जलपाईगुडीको सीजेएम कोर्टमा चलिरहेको छ। सुनवाइको क्रममा देवान नियमित रुपले अनुपस्थित बनेका कारण कोर्टले तिनको पक्राउको वारण्ट जारी गरेको छ। दुइवटा जिल्लाबीचको मामिला भएको कारण तिनको पक्राउको सम्बन्धमा नगरकट्टा थानाले दार्जीलिङ पुलिसका अधिक्षकमार्फत निवेदन गरेपछि आज तिनलाई पक्राउ गरिएको पुलिस सूत्रले बताएको छ। तिनीविरुद्ध दर्ता केस संख्या 15/11 अनि 18/11-मा आइपीसीको धाराहरू 147/148/149/356/ आम्स एक्ट, सरकारी सम्पत्ति नष्ट पारेको जस्ता मामिलाहरू उल्लेख छन। तिनलाई आज यहाँको महकुमा विचारकको अघि पेश गरिएको थियो। अर्को जिल्लाको मामिला भएको कारण तकनिकी कारण्बश तिनलाई कालेबुङकोर्टको साटो महकुमा विचारक (SDM)-को अघि उभ्याइएपछि तीन दिनको न्यायिक हिरासतमा पठाइएको छ। तीन दिनको निम्ति कालेबुङस्थित जेलमा राखिएका देवानलाई आगामी 16 अगस्तका दिन नगरकट्टा पुलिसलाई सुपुर्द गरिने सूत्रले जनाएको छ। त्यसपछि नगरकट्टा थानाले तिनलाई जलपाईगुडीको सीजेएम कोर्टमा पेश गर्नेछ। यता, महकुमा विचारककोमा लान अघि तिनले सञ्चारकर्मीहरूसँग प्रतिक्रिया जनाउँदै आन्दोलनलाई दमन गर्ने उद्देश्यले नै राज्य सरकारले पुराना मामिलाहरू झिकेर अनाहकमा पक्राउ गरेको बताए। “हाम्रो पक्राउ गरेर सरकार आन्दोलनकारीहरूको मनोबल तोड्न चहान्छ। तर यो आन्दोलनलाई दमन गर्न सरकार कदाचित सफल हुनेछैन। सरकारले हामीजस्ता दुइचार नेतालाई पक्रौ गरेर के गर्छ, आन्दोलनको निम्ति ह्जारौं नेताहरूको जन्म हुनेछ” देवानले भने।

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UGRF leader refutes Mamata’s allegations

kalimpong 12 August

 Pradip Lohagun

The United Gorkha Revolutionary Front, the group that came into the limelight for its armed agitation for statehood, has denied the allegations made by chief minister Mamata Bannerjee.

UGRF president Ajay Dahal said his organisation has not taken up arms and no covert trainings are being undertaken.

Speaking to the media today, he dismissed refused all allegations made by the chief minister such as of providing arms training in Kurseong under the banner of Gorkhaland Liberation Organisation (GLO).

Dahal instead accused the state government of deliberately disrupting peace and harmony in the Hills. “The state government wants to spread false rumours about us to create confusion. GLO is an altogether different organisation and the violent agitation of the UGRF is already part of history. The government is trying to spread rumours to suppress our movement,” asserted Dahal.

He said as there was no formal invitation to him to attend the all-party meeting in Darjeeling, he did not attend it. “If I had received an invitation, I would have surely attended and suggested ways to lead the agitation,” said Dahal. “The movement should be further refined.

The enthusiasm of supporters is like water flowing in the streams during rainfall. Leaders should tend to the water and make it flow in the proper direction to get the desired results.”

Further, Dahal said he suspects the presence of double agents in the Hills who frequently try to disrupt the peaceful nature of the movement.

Meanwhile, UGRF Rudra Acharya deputy chief added, “We are in a state where the government will try everything possible to suppress us. Therefore, we need to pick the right strategy to move ahead.”

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Top GJM leader Dewan arrested amid dramatic scenes

kalimpong 13 August
 Pradip Lohagun

The Kalimpong unit vice president of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and GTA sabhasad Kalyan Dewan was arrested today. The sabhasad from GTA 41 number block was arrested amid a dramatic series of events in the afternoon.

Dewan, who had stepped out from home for some work, was stopped before the police station and asked to step in for a private talk. But he was taken to the sub-divisional hospital for a health checkup and this was when news of his arrest spread. Dewan was formally detained after the Jalpaiguri CJM court issued an arrest warrant against his name.

The GJM leader has been arrested on two charges filed in 2011 at Nagarakatta police station and which are still pending at the CJM court. The court said the arrest warrant was issued as Dewan has continuously failed to appear before it.

The Kalimpong police said the arrest was made following the a request by the Nagarakatta police. Dewan has been booked under Section 147/148/149/356/Arms Act and damaging of government property under the Indian Penal Code. He has been sent to three days’ judicial custody.

According to sources, Dewan will be handed over to the Nagarakatta police on August 16 after which he will be produced before the CJM court.

Earlier, Dewan had accused the state government of trying to suppress the ongoing movement by digging out earlier cases on GJM leaders. “The state government wants to suppress the movement by arresting us. But it will not be successful this time. What will the arrest of a few leaders do? We will continue our demand for statehood,” said the GJM leader.

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फेरि सँगसँगै...

Pradip Lohagun

कालेबुङ 11  अगस्त। गोर्खाल्याण्ड र ‘सेटअप’-को दोसाँधमा तीन बर्षअघि भङगालिएको मोर्चा र क्रामाकपाको सहयात्रा फेरि एकपल्ट शुरु भएको छ।

` हरियो वृत्तभित्र हसिया मर्तोल अङ्कित रातो झण्डाहरू बोकेर क्रामाकपाका सयौं कार्यकर्ताहरू आज कालेबुङको  मेनरोडमा आउँदा मोर्चा समर्थकहरूले पनि सुखद अनुभव गरिरहेका थिए। क्रामाकपा नेता जेबी राईले नेतृत्व गरेको र्‍याली पार्टीकार्यालयबाट शुरु भएर डम्बरचोकतिर लम्किँदा मोर्चा नेता मोतीप्रसाद शर्मा दुवै हात जोडेर अभिवादन जनाउँदै पुगिसकेका थिए। गोर्खाल्याण्डको पक्षमा गगनभेदी नारा गुञ्जयमान पार्दै क्रामाकपा कार्यकर्ताहरू मेनरोडमा प्रवेश गर्दा मोर्चा समर्थकहरूसमेत भावविभोर भइसकेका थिए। मेनरोडको फूटपाथमा बर्‍याम लागेर उभेका मोर्चा समर्थकहरूले  थप्पडी बजाएर अभिवादन गर्दा क्रामाकपा नेताहरू पनि प्रभावित नभइ सकेनन। बर्ष 2007-मा छैटौं अनुसूची खारेज गरी गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति शुरु भएको यो सहयात्रा बर्ष 2010को मईमा भङ्गालिएको थियो। आन्दोलनलाई शिथिल बनाउँदै मोर्चा सेटअपको खेस्रातिर आकर्षित भएपछि  यी दुइ दलबीचको राजनैतिक समझदारीपूर्ण सम्बन्ध चिसिँदै गएको थियो। मोर्चाले जीटीए ग्रहण गरेपछि त झन एकापसमा टिकाटिप्पणी र कटुता निकै चुलिएको थियो। अहिले तेलङ्गना गठनको घोषणाले मोर्चालाई फेरि एकपल्ट आन्दोलनको पथ समात्ने वातावरण निर्माण गरेपछि क्रामाकपा पनि सडकमुखी कार्यक्रम लिएर अग्रसर भएको छ। आज रातो टोली लाएका अनुशासित क्रामाकपाकर्मीहरूको र्‍यालीले शहर परिक्रमा गरेर डम्बरचोकमा आइपुग्दा मोर्चाकर्मीहरूले उनीहरूको पथसभाको निम्ति मञ्चको व्यवस्थापन गर्दै थिए।“यहाँ अगाडीबाट हटेर क्रामाकपाका साथीहरूको निम्ति मञ्च खाली गरिदिने निवेदन टक्र्याउँछौं” मोर्चाको महकुमा समितिका सदस्य उमेश राईले पार्टीकर्मीहरूसँग आग्रह गरिरहेका थिए। यतिबेला सबै दलहरू एकसाथ उभिनुपर्छ भन्ने सदिच्छा पालेर बसिरहेका राज्यप्रेमी जनतालाई मोर्चा र क्रामाकपाको झण्डा एकसाथ फरफहराइ रहेको दृश्य कम सुखद थिएन। “राम्रो लागेको छ” नारी मोर्चा नेत्री बन्दना योञ्जनले भनिन, “यो पार्टीको होइन, जातिको जीत हो। हामी दुवैले गोर्खाल्याण्ड चाहेका छौं। यतिबेला पार्टीगत विभेद भुलिनुपर्छ। अब अरु दलहरू पनि यो यात्रामा सहभागी हुन आउनुपर्छ” रातो झण्डा बोकेर उत्साहसँग नारा लगाइरहेका क्रामाकपा कार्यकर्ता हर्कसिंह राईले पनि त्यसै भने, “खुशी लाग्यो। यो एकता र मिलापको घटनाले गोर्खाल्याण्डविरोधी शक्तिहरूलाई गतिलो सन्देश दिनेछ भन्ने लागेको छ” लामो समयको अन्तरालमा राजनैतिक कार्यक्रम बोकेर कालेबुङको सडकमा देखिएका क्रामाकपा नेताहरू पनि यस दिन निकै उत्साहित र उर्जाशील देखिए। मोर्चाको सौहार्दपूर्ण व्यवहारले हौसिएका उपाध्यक्ष जेबी राईले भाषणमै भने, “जनताको चहाना थियो, यतिबेला दलहरूबेच मतभेद नहोस भन्ने। हामी सबै मतभेद भुलेर आयौं। मुद्दाको सवालमा हामीले पार्टीगत भिन्नता राख्नु हुँदैन” क्रामाकपाको युवा संगठनका नेता अरुण घतानीले भने, “आन्दोलनकारीहरू सडकमै भेट हुन्छन। जनताको चहाना पनि यस्तै थियो। सडकमा सामुहिक एकता देखिनुपर्छ भन्ने हाम्रो पनि मान्यता थियो” तिनले अहिले आन्दोलनको स्टेयरिङ मोर्चा अध्यक्ष बिमल गुरुङको हातमा रहेको बताउँदै भने, “मोर्चाले ठीकसँग लिएर जान सकेन भने पनि हामी यसलाई अघि बढाउँछौं” र्‍यालीमा भाग लिन आएका क्रामाकपा कार्यकर्ताहरूको निम्ति मोर्चाले खाजाभुजाको समेत प्रबन्ध गरेको थियो। “खाजा त हामीले घरबाटै लिएर आएका थियौं। मोर्चाले पनि बन्दोबस्त गरिदिएछ” खाजा खान जनमुक्ति पार्कतिर हान्निरहेका क्रामाकपाकर्मी देवराज थापाले भने।

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