Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Bimal Gurung has hinted at taking recourse to violent movement post-Durga Pujas to push for his demand for a separate Gorkhaland State.
Fighting with his back against the wall in the face of ‘relentless offensive’ from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who has “thrown hordes of our workers leaders and elected representatives behind the bar” the GJM chief on Tuesday threatened to resume a “kranti” (armed struggle) “as neither the Centre nor the State Government understand the peaceful democratic language.”
A fuming Gurung recalled how “our workers and leaders have been jailed though we were following democratic and peaceful means of protests. But the Government has refused to take heed of our issues brought before it in a democratic manner.”
Then he said, “If they do not understand the language of democracy then they will be made to understand things differently and those who are in power should be ready to take the responsibility of the consequence that will follow,” adding “We will now take recourse to kranti come what may because we the Gorkhas are the sons of the soil, this land belongs to us and no one can deprive us from our right to get a separate Gorkhaland.”
The GJM which had suspended its agitation in the Hills for the time being would resume the movement from October 20, party sources said. Gurung’s tough talk was immediately met with an equally tough posture from the State Government even as North Bengal Development Minister Gautam Deb termed his statements as “unfortunate” and warned the GJM against any “misadventure.”
The Government was committed towards the development of the people of Darjeeling and “any hindrance by any vested interest would not be tolerated” Deb said adding “the statement of Gurung who is himself an elected representative is unfortunate.”
Deb said “the law would take its own course if any one violated it as no one is above law. If any one takes law in his hands then the Government will act accordingly.”
The GJM which had signed the Gorkhaland territorial Authority Accord with the State Government and the Centre after Trinamool Congress came to power jettisoned its stance and began a fresh movement through sustained bandh for a separate Gorkhaland after the Centre decided to create a new Telangana State by dividing Andhra Pradesh.
With the friction that followed between the State Government and the GJM about 900 of its workers including senior leaders like Madan Tamang were arrested.
Curiously even Gurung tried to find an escape route through a tripartite dialogue the State Government continued to mount pressure on his party not only by refusing to spread out a dialogue table but also by taking action against the financiers of the GJM.
This might have provoked Gurung to give a call for a Kranti, said a senior leader of the CPRM a communist party active in the Hills.Meanwhile the State Government employees in Darjeeling had formed a coordination committee to resist the Government move to cut their salaries for taking part in the bandh. “We would now fight jointly for our rights” said JK Roy a GJM leader.
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