GJM denounces state govt for interference, firm on 24hr bandh on 2nd April

EOI, DARJEELING, 17 Mar 2015: The cold war between the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal on the issue of welfare of minorities in the hills has reached a flash point, with GJM calling a general strike on April 2 in protest of the district administration’s decision to conduct a written examination for the appointment of ‘para teachers’ for teaching the Lepcha language in primary schools in the hills.
The written examination for recruitment of para-teachers was held on Tuesday in the Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong sub-divisions amid tight security. In all, 171 candidates had applied for the exam that was specifically held for the three sub-divisions of the hills. Of the 22 candidates who had applied for the examination from Darjeeling, only 17 appeared, while 112 of the 127 applicants in Kalimpong were present. In Kurseong, 18 of the total 22 applicants wrote the examination.
According to the GJM, the state government is interfering in the affairs of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration by deciding to hold such an exam because education is a transferred subject as per the 2011 GTA agreement. On March 14, GJM president Bimal Gurung threatened to call a 24-hour strike if the district administration went ahead with its plan to hold the examination.
Speaking over phone from Delhi this afternoon, GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said, “We have not backed down from our resolve to call a strike if the district administration goes ahead with its decision to hold a written examination for the appointment of para-teachers.” Further, he said the GJM is mulling to file a petition at the high court once the party brass returns from Delhi.
“We will move the high court against the state government as it is unduly interfering in the functions of the GTA,” said Giri. “The district administration cannot conduct interviews on para-teachers engaged in primary schools as education is a transferred subject.” He did not specify as to when the petition would be filed.
District magistrate office sources said candidates who are selected will have to appear for an interview in Kalimpong on March 25 and the final list will be out on March 27. The date of joining will be from April 1 to 3.
It may be mentioned here that in September of last year, the GJM filed a case against the state government for sanctioning funds for the welfare of minority communities living in the GTA area. Later that month, it moved the high court again accusing the state government of floating tenders for the construction of three roads in areas under GTA jurisdiction through the North Bengal Development Department maintaining both came under the transferred subjects list. The two cases are still pending in court.
It may also be mentioned that the GJM had resented the move of the State Government to form a Lepcha Development Board for the protection of language and culture of the Lepcha community in the hills of Darjeeling, arguing that the welfare of the Lepchas was a responsibility of GTA and alleging that the Chief Minister was trying to pursue a divide-and-rule policy in the hills. Lepchas are believed to be the oldest settlers in the hills of Darjeeling and are a marginalized community. Often, the identity of the Lepchas has merged with the larger Gorkha identity.