Morcha fast an eyewash,say rivals - Hunger strike on old demands, not yonzone

GTA members at the hunger strike site in Darjeeling on Sunday. Picture by Suman Tamang

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, May 26: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today began an indefinite hunger strike chanting old demands, which their rivals said was an “eyewash” after the party’s knee-jerk announcement of a general strike earlier.

Pratap Khati, the general secretary of the Morcha rival Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League, said: “Why are they sitting for an indefinite hunger strike. I do not see any reason for elected (GTA Sabha) members to sit on an indefinite strike. It is just an eyewash and an attempt to save the party’s face following a reckless announcement that the party had earlier made.”

On May 24, the Morcha announced an indefinite general strike from Sunday in the hills to protest the arrest of GTA Sabha member Chandra Yonzone, held in connection with the burning of a Trinamul leader’s house in Kalimpong’s Gorubathan.

But on May 25, the Morcha withdrew the general strike, and in its place announced a hunger strike.

Rivals pointed out that with Yonzone was in 14 days’ judicial custody and the Morcha would not be able to do anything about that. Also, the tourism season has just begun, so a general strike would be bad for business in the hills.

“Keeping in mind various issues such as the ongoing tourist season, examinations (of North Bengal University) and the declaration of Madhyamik results on Monday, the party has decided to call off its indefinite general strike,” Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri said yesterday.

After Yonzone was arrested, the Morcha announced the strike within hours.

But today, Yonzone did not figure among the demands set by the Morcha.

Giri, who did not join in the hunger strike today, said: “The indefinite hunger strike has been started over four demands. These include non-interference of the state government in the functioning of the GTA, an end to police atrocities against elected members and the common public, withdrawal of cases against Morcha activists during the agitation phase and field visit by the fact-verification committee that is looking into the findings of the Justice (retd) Shyamal Sen committee.”

The Justice Sen committee had recommended inclusion of only five of the 396 mouzas from the Dooars and Terai in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration.

This was the first time since 2007 that Morcha leaders have sat on a fast.

“Had they asked the public to participate, none would have turned up,” Khati said.

The Morcha leaders at the fast in Darjeeling were GTA members Binay Tamang, Ratan Thapa, Uday Dewan, Norbu G. Lama, P.T. Ola, Rabindra Lama and Prakash Gurung. The seven GTA members are fasting in front of the Darjeeling district magistrate’s office, and three members each are on a strike in front of the Kurseong and Kalimpong sub-divisional officer’s office, respectively.

Asked why there was no demand mentioning Yonzone, Giri today said: “It comes under the demand that police atrocities must end.”

Morcha rivals also said that the demand of non-interference in the working of the GTA and end to police atrocities was a matter of perception, not a specific demand.

“Those two demands are a matter of perception. There can be no defining yardstick to interference and to end of atrocities. The demand for withdrawal of cases and field visit by the verification committee is something they have been demanding and does not suddenly necessitate an indefinite hunger strike. I think the Morcha leaders are on fast just to burn their fat,” Khati said in jest.

A source in the hills also pointed out that the GTA was anyway scheduled to sit for a review meeting with the state on June 3, during which all these issues could be discussed.

“Anyway, the review meeting of the GTA is slated to take place on June 3 in Darjeeling. The meeting will be attended by representatives from the state government and the Centre and these issues could be easily taken up during the meeting,” the source said.