Morcha wary after speech - Gurung's party does a double take on chief's words

Vivek Chhetri, TT,  Darjeeling, Aug. 8: Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leaders today held a news conference to clarify that the speech made by Bimal Gurung yesterday should not be construed as the party's loss of faith in leading a democratic movement.

The news conference, during which Gurung was not present but his lieutenants Roshan Giri, Binay Tamang and D.K. Pradhan faced journalists, was held after a central committee meeting where the Morcha chief was present for a brief while.

Sources in the Morcha said party leaders rarely do anything without the consent of Gurung.

At the news conference, Tamang said Gurung's speech at Vah-Tukvar yesterday was "misrepresented" by the media.

"The crux of the matter of what he said is that since the Bengal government is interfering in the working of the GTA and dividing the hill community, a situation may arise which could be a rerun of the 1986 Gorkhaland agitation. This is not to say that we will be raising arms as we believe in a democratic movement as we have been engaged it in since 2007."

Yesterday, at a Yuva Morcha public meeting, Gurung had reminded hill youths about dignity and a 1986-like agitation - which, led by Subhash Ghisingh, was a violent one.

Gurung said yesterday: "The youths should speak their hearts out, the youths should talk about dignity, about the land, the land wanting blood. The youth brigade should talk about an agitation like the '86 agitation, they should talk about lifting guns and wieldingkhukuris. This is what I had told them."

He did not advocate any violence or hint at any armed struggle soon.

He spoke about the need to live a life of dignity and not that of a coward: "Perhaps you will one day find me in a jungle. You must love me even then because I will be there for the cause of Gorkhaland."

Giri said the main issue of the party "has been the formation of Gorkhaland and we have always raised it.... We will continue will our struggle in a planned manner but we believe in an intellectual fight."

The Telegraph had yesterday reported that Gurung was probably trying to draw the Centre's attention with his vitriolic speech as he had said yesterday: "I have told the Centre that we have extended all support and it is your duty to show us by doing karma(good deeds)."