GJM threatens violence to pursue Gorkhaland demand

Soudhriti Bhabani | MAIL TODAY | Darjeeling; The standoff between the West Bengal government and Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) reached a flashpoint with the latter refusing to open a dialogue with the authorities over separate Gorkhaland issue. 

"There will be no discussion with the state government on the issue. We want no alternative. Our only demand is to have a separate Gorkhaland state for the people here. We will only talk to the Centre on our demand," said GJM chief Bimal Gurung while addressing a mammoth gathering at Kalimpong on Monday. 

Threatening that the movement might turn violent if the administration tries to dominate it forcibly, he said: "It is the policy of the West Bengal government to frustrate our movement. But we will continue to protest in a democratic way. But if they (state government) oppose there will be violence in the hills now." 

There was simmering tension in Darjeeling Hills on the third day of the indefinite shutdown by GJM as a silent procession with the body of Mangal Singh Rajput, a party supporter who set himself on fire over Gorkhaland demand, began in Kalimpong. Gurung, who has reached the town to attend the funeral, said no GJM activist would come under any pressure of the Mamata Banerjee-led government. 

"If the police resort to baton charge or open fire, we are ready to face it. We are not afraid of anything now. We are ready to die for our motherland," said Gurung. The state government has decided to send state home secretary Basudeb Banerjee, Director tor general of police Naparajit Mukherjee and other home department officials to the troubled hill sub-division to find out a solution to the raging issue. 

The home department team left for Darjeeling on Monday. Banerjee is slated to hold a high-level meeting with district police officers on Tuesday and monitor the shutdown situation in the hills. The state home department team is also likely to open dialogue with GJM counterparts on how to resolve the imbroglio, sources said. 

A team of state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) would also reach Darjeeling on Tuesday to monitor the situation there. The sleuths are likely to scrutinise some past cases against GJM leaders and, if necessary, open them up once again. Earlier, Mamata had threatened saying that her government would be "rough and tough" if anyone creates any problem in Darjeeling Hills. 

Holding the state government responsible for opposing the Gorkhaland issue, Gurung said the shutdown will continue at least for next one to two months. A large number of Gorkha ex-servicemen have decided to surrender their medals to the government to mark their protest against the "insensitive" approach of the government towards their statehood demand. 

"The West Bengal government will remain strong against any split of the state," Trinamool Congress parliamentary party leader Sudip Bandopadhyay said.