An angry Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leadership on Thursday reacted to deployment of Central forces in Darjeeling by extending a 96-hour strike to an indefinite bandh and dared the State Government to “bring in the Army but our democratic movement will continue.”
GJM president Bimal Gurung, who had on Tuesday resigned as the chairman of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, said, “The battle for a separate Gorkhaland State had reached a point of no return” adding there can be no relaxation on bandh.
Gurung’s statement came within hours of senior Trinamool Congress leader and MP Sudip Bandopadhyay warning Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde against making the Darjeeling issue a “child’s play as it can lead to disaster.”
GJM’s belligerence heightened following reports that 5 companies of Central forces and three companies of State armed police had been rushed to Darjeeling. “If they can give Telangana then why can’t they give us Gorkhaland which is an 107-year-old demand,” Gurung who earlier resigned as the Chairman of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration said.
lambasting Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for failing to implement the GTA Accord signed by the Centre, State and the GJM Gurung said “the Chief Minister has Mamata (sympathy) for no one except herself. She always makes false promises. The way the State Government undermined the GTA Accord, the way it intervenes in the works of the autonomous body we are sure that GTA cannot run. There is no way but to get a separate Gorkhaland.”
The GJM chief accused Banerjee of “always using threats against us. But she should remember that if she can become rough and tough as she always says we will not sit idle.”
On the Chief Minister’s vow not to allow a second partition of Bengal Gurung said “Darjeeling was never in Bengal. Before Independence one part of it was with Bhutan and the other with Sikkim. These were ceded to the British who then joined these parts with Bengal.”
On the arrival of Central forces, Gurung said “We are carrying out our movement in a democratic manner. But if the State takes repressive tactic then the movement will be intensified and things would take a turn for the worse” he warned.
A group of GJM leaders led by Roshan Giri would leave for Delhi on Friday to meet the Central leaders.
Earlier, Bandopadhyay quoted the Home Minister as saying that the Central Government would take all possible steps to maintain peace in the Hills. “We will speak the language that is needed to maintain peace in Darjeeling” Bandopadhyay quoted the Union Minister as saying.
“I reminded him that the Centre should not take it as a child’s play as it would be disastrous for the region” the Trinamool MP said adding the Union Minister seemed positive in his approach.
Shinde told Trinamool leader that he could not refuse audience to those who come to visit him “but assured us that the Centre would take all steps to maintain peace in the Hills.”