Mamata, GJM target Centre over forces and Gorkhaland

Zeeshan Javed| TNN | Jul 11, 2017,Darjeeling/Kolkata: The Centre has become a punching bag for both chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) even as they are opposed to each other over the demand for a separate Gorkhaland state.

While Mamata accused the Centre of "non-cooperation" saying that the Centre is sitting on the state's requisition for additional forces as the bandh enters its 27th day on Tuesday, GJM's Darjeeling MLA Amar Singh Rai gave vent to his fret over the Centre's "wait and watch" policy instead of calling the Hills parties for a dialogue over Gorkhaland. The GJM MLA feared that the situation might slip out of Centre's hand with as many as six people killed in police firing. Rai doesn't foresee any relaxation in the Hills strike in the Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee (GMCC) meeting on Tuesday unless the Centre arranges for talks with Hills parties. GNLF spokesperson Niraj Zimba, however, is game to some relaxation in the strike for public benefit. "There is no question of calling off the movement but we feel that a small relaxation will help people," Zimba said.

The CM saw in the Centre's reluctance a "conspiracy" against West Bengal. "Tagore had raised his voice when Bengal was partitioned in 1905. Mahatma Gandhi launched the 'Banga Bhanga Andolan' then. At present, there is a conspiracy to divide Bengal which is why the Centre isn't coming to the state's help in tackling the situation in the Hills," the CM said on Monday, addressing a public meeting at East Midnapore's Nandakumar. Darjeeling had gone with the Bhagalpur division in Bihar during this period and later came under the Rajsahi division, now in Bangladesh, in 1912.

In support of her "conspiracy theory", Mamata said: "Darjeeling shares borders with Nepal where contingents of Seema Suraskha Bal (SSB) are deployed. In spite of their presence, how was the border opened and conspiracies to foment trouble hatched? They (Centre) are further blaming the state for the trouble and seeking an explanation. It is the state police that foiled the conspirators' bid to create trouble."

The GJM MLA, on the other hand, expressed surprise over the Centre's "wait and watch" tactic when it should have arranged for talks over formation of a new state under Article 3 of the Constitution. "I fail to understand why the central government is quiet when so many things are happening in the Hills. What is the government waiting for? The GJM is a partner of the BJP and has always extended support on various issues and will do so in the Presidential election too," Rai said on Monday.

Rai hasn't given up though. He banks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hopes that the PM would take initiatives once he is back to Delhi. The MLA said Darjeeling MP Surendra Singh Ahluwalia had apprised the PM about the current situation prevailing in the Hills. "Our MP called me on Sunday and informed that he had already briefed the PM about the situation in the Hills. Right now Modiji is on a foreign visit because of which some time is being taken but we are hopeful that the PM will take some decisions," the GJM MLA said.

(Source & Centre: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/mamata-gjm-target-centre-over-forces-and-gorkhaland/articleshow/59534562.cms)