‘Jailed GJMM men to engineer split’

SNS, Siliguri, 29 October : Jailed activists are upset with party for not doing enough to secure their release, says senior GNLF leader.

Senior GNLF leaders said the GJMM would split after several party leaders upset with the party’s role, would move out of the jails. 

A senior GNLF leader, Mr Mahendra Chhetri, who had switched over from the CPI-M to Subash Ghising’s party, said: “Over 1,100 party leaders and workers are behind bars now. But the GJMM leadership has not taken initiative to release them. These people are upset with the role of the leaders, might get united and split from the party.” 

Slapping charge of betrayal on the GJMM, he said its leader, Mr Bimal Gurung, after roaring for Gorkhaland in the wake of the Telangana concession by the Centre, finally lost the zeal and withdrew the movement midway. Now, he has cowered before the pressure by the Mamata Banerjee government. Some of his party comrades who, being in the good book of the CM, have goaded him for the climb-down,” Mr Chhetri said. 

He is all praise for Miss Mamata Banerjee for tackling the situation. “She tackled the situation well, but her treatment of the tangle is cavalier. She lacks a deeper vision of the Hill psyche. She cannot see into the deep attachment of the people for the cause of Gorkhaland. The CM cannot keep things under control for long by flaunting development and peace. The demand for a separate state would keep reviving almost in the manner the mythical Phoenix revives after burning itself on the pyres,” he said. 

Now, the GNLF activists are busy raising funds by selling CDs that contain compilations of Mr Gishing’s important recorded speeches in which he speaks on the issues of statehood, identity and Sixth Schedule. 

Notably, Mr Bimal Gurung, in his recent Facebook post, criticised GNLF activists for forcing the traders to buy such CDs, terming it as ‘extortion’.