National-level movement needed: Shestha, Pradhan

The spirit of the statehood agitators is on a high after nearly a month of the renewed agitation. Parties have come together on the GJAC platform pumping new energy in the public. Amid such an environment, the leadership must take the Gorkhaland movement to the national level rather than limit it in the hills only. These views have been presented by well-known dramatist and intellectual CK Shestha, who doesn’t owe allegiance to any political setup, but is a close observer of the ongoing movement.

Shestha has expressed the view that Gorkhas across the country should be involved and a huge movement built up that would be worth presenting at the national level. He suggested the leadership has to launch programmes of greater impact as the current activities are limited to the hills. “The leadership must accept the fact that the level at which the movement is being organised is not enough. A lot more has to be done to take the demand to higher levels. It is of course essential to maintain an intense struggle out here, but nothing will be achieved if everything gets concentrated in the hills,” observed Shrestha.

He added, “Everybody’s answer to the question ‘Why Gorkhaland?’ should be the same, and the answer should have weigh enough to be worthy to be placed before Parliament.”

Further, he described the coming together of the CPRM and the GJM as “very positive” as they are the two largest parties in the hills. Shrestha noted that the energy these two sides used to waste by making comments against each other will now be channelised in the proper direction.

In the meantime, Bhataria Gorkha Parisangh president Dr. Enos Das Pradhan said he joined the GJAC with the idea of working effectively in the struggle for statehood.

“We have joined this joint front with a broad thought; to take the statehood demand and agitation to a national level.” he said.

Pradhan informed the GJAC would meet on August 30 to discuss elaborately about the future course of action.