Morcha leadership still in dark over the agenda of the proposed tripartite meeting

SNS, Siliguri, 10 September : Although GJMM chief Mr Bimal Gurung today claimed ‘our movement for Gorkhaland continues’, the anti-GJMM political party leaders in the Hills, welcoming its decision to call off the shutdown agitation, said the third phase of statehood movement flopped and the Morcha is on the back foot. 

The All India Gorkha League vice president, Mr Laxman Pradhan, said the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha-backed Gorkhaland Joint Action Committee had to ‘put on hold’ the agitation up to 20 October due to tremendous pressure from the Hill people when the GJMM had failed to pacify the Centre and the state. 

The Union home minister had asked the GJAC representatives he would take initiative to convene a tripartite meet on condition if they call off the agitation. 

“The GJMM’s movement for separate statehood flopped midway because of the Central government’s reluctance and non-cooperation from the state government. The fate of the third phase of separate statehood movement initiated by the GJMM proved a flop show and it would be very difficult for them in continuing the agitation keeping the people in pain,” Mr Pradhan said. 

“Several people associated with the various schools in Darjeeling Hills were against the GJMM style of agitation to demand a separate statehood,” he added. 

The AIGL had joined the GJAC but decided to quit the platform due to difference of opinion over the issue of separate statehood movement. 

The Hill-based CPI-M leader, Mr K B Watter, said: “The GJMM had to call off its agitation because Hill people decided to go against the agitation after facing acute food crisis due to the prolonged agitation since 29 July. Had the GJMM called off the strike earlier, people would have started leading normal life in the Hills.” 

“People were unhappy with the GJAC’s decision to keep the education sector out of the agitation’s purview without the transportation system. When schools and colleges will start functioning, automatically vehicles will start plying. The market must be kept open for essential items, including fuel,” Mr Watter added. 

“The GJMM started a separate statehood movement without destination. They were compelled to start agitation following Telangana issue because the separate state of Gorkhaland was politically a capital of the party keeping the Hill people in pain. The GJMM could have been finished without an agitation after Telangana issue. Now nobody knows the fate of the GJMM and its statehood movement,” he added. 

The GJMM chief, Mr Bimal Gurung, who is also chairman of the GJAC, said on his Facebook page: “The Union home minister has clearly stated that no new state would be created ‘immediately’. We reiterate that the demand for Gorkhaland is not achievable immediately and it requires stepwise dialogue to resolve the century old crisis of statehood.” 

“We decry the hostile and confrontationist attitude of the state government and would expect its cooperation to hold tripartite talks,” he added. “The tripartite dialogue should be on the GJMM’s ultimate demand,” Mr Gurung said. 

Notably, the GJMM leadership is still in the dark about the agenda of the proposed tripartite meeting. It is reported that the Centre would finalise the agenda in consultation with the state government.