Day after Telangana fate, statehood bogey returns to haunt Hills

THT, Kolkata, 4 October 2013: Telangana occupied centre stage in Hill politics on Friday. The Executive Sabha of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) sat in an emergent meeting adopting a resolution demanding that the government immediately initiate steps for the creation of Gorkhaland. This comes on the heels of the Union cabinet’s nod to Telangana on Thursday. 

GJM-backed BJP MP of the Darjeeling constituency Jaswant Singh on Friday said, “Parallels should not be drawn between Telangana and Gorkhaland. They are two different issues altogether.” 

Singh, currently on a visit to his constituency Darjeeling, added, “The voice of Darjeeling will be heard. Gorkhaland is more than a century-old demand. The BJP also favours creation of smaller states.” Seven members of the GTA Executive Sabha met in Darjeeling on Friday. “We welcome the Union cabinet’s decision to create Telangana. The government should immediately initiate steps for the creation of Gorkhaland too. 
The GTA Executive Sabha adopted a resolution to this effect in today’s meeting,” said Jyoti Rai, GTA executive member. GJM president Bimal Gurung was optimistic that the tripartite talks between the Centre, state and the GJM slated for October 23 would yield positive results. “If Telengana is created then Gorkhaland has to be created. We are hopeful that a positive decision would be taken on the tripartite talks in Delhi.
“We will wait for the outcome of the meeting and then decide our future programme,” posted Gurung in a social network site. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee dubbed the Union cabinet’s nod to Telangana as an “election decision.” 
“Five years ago, at the time of last general election, creation of a new state of Telangana was conceived. Now, after five years, just when another general election is knocking at the door, decision on a separate Telangana state has been taken. It is only a political decision and an election decision…” alleged Banerjee in a post on a social network site. GJM general secretary Roshan Giri feels the Telangana development will strengthen the Gorkhaland case. “Gorkhaland is a 107-year-old demand. We have been constantly crying for statehood,” said Giri.