GNLF ups ante on GJM

EOI, DARJEELING 12 Aug 2016 The Gorkha National Liberation Front today exhorted the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha to discard the GTA to prove their sincerity towards the statehood demand.

The GNLF, which is on a revival path and wants the Darjeeling hills to be brought under the Sixth Schedule, claimed the GJM could not seriously agitate for a separate state as they have chosen to remain  within Bengal by accepting the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) and sending legislators to the Vidhan Sabha.

“In the GTA agreement, the GJM has assured to maintain peace and harmony. This effectively means they cannot start an intensified agitation. Also, GJM leaders keep on asserting that talking to Bengal is  useless. But the party sends its MLAs to the state assembly. Is this not two faced?” questioned Sandeep Limbu, a central committee member of the GNLF’s youth wing.

The youth leader asked the GJM to reject the GTA and urged its Sabhasads to resign to show their sincerity. The GNLF also challenged the GJM to get a bill on Gorkhaland placed in the ongoing session of  Parliament. “Now that the BJP is in absolute majority in Delhi, the GJM should be able to get a bill placed in Parliament. Further, the Darjeeling MP, S.S. Ahluwalia, has been given a cabinet portfolio. The GJM should not just resort to political gimmicks ahead of elections,” Limbu said.

He also took cognisance of the conflicting statements of the GJM leadership over the week on the mode of agitation for a separate state. “They (GJM) are a confused lot. On the one hand, the party’s president wants to start an armed struggle while its youth wing is advocating for a ‘boudhik’ (intellectual) agitation,” pointed out Limbu.

Asked about the party’s position on the statehood issue s the GNLF was the first party to make the demand, the youth leader was non-committal. “At present we are advocating for Sixth Schedule status. We have to follow steps one by one and not expect to reach the ultimate at a go. And as far as our party’s activities for Gorkhaland are concerned, we will reveal our strategy when the time is right,” Limbu said without elaborating.