JAP demands Gorkhaland, blames GJM & BJP for misleading people

Amitava Banerjee, HT, 15 Dec 2016, DARJEELING: While a Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) dharna for the separate state of Gorkhaland is on in Delhi, Jan Andolan Party (JAP) supporters staged a dharna in front of the residence of SS Ahluwalia, BJP MP from Darjeeling, to demand he table a Gorkhaland Bill in Parliament.

Vishal Rai, JAP youth wing president, said at 1pm on Wednesday around 100 JAP youth wing supporters staged a dharna in front of the Ashoka Road residence of the MP who is also the Union minister of state for agriculture and parliamentary affairs.

“The MP who was attending the parliamentary session rushed back and asked us to immediately leave the premises. He even called in the Delhi Police and asked the agitators to immediately evacuate the premises,” said Rai.

“We asked him to move a Gorkhaland Bill in Parliament to which his reply was that without the consent of the West Bengal government, a separate state is not possible. He told us that the three Hill MLAs should first table a Bill in the West Bengal Assembly and only after it is passed in the Assembly can it be taken up. He said as a minister it is not possible for him to move a Bill without the consent of his party, the BJP and that his party has not yet given any such direction,” said Rai.

According to the JAP youth leaders, Ahluwalia invited JAP supporters for talks which they turned down. “He has again called us at 5pm on Thursday. We will discuss the matter in the party and then decide whether we will meet him. We are scheduled to hold dharnas in front of his residence on Thursday and Friday also,” said Rai.

Ahluwalia was not available for comment. Reacting to Ahluwalia’s claims that the consent of the state government is required for creation of a separate state, Harka Bahadur Chettri dubbed it a blatant lie.

“The state has nothing to do with the creation of a separate state. It is Article 3 of the Constitution which provides for the creation of a separate state. If the state had a role Telangana would never have been created. Ahluwalia, BJP and GJM are not serious about Gorkhaland. They just want to play with the sentiments of the public to win elections,” said Chettri.

The JAP president said Ahluwalia won the MP elections from Darjeeling on the agenda of Gorkhaland. As he is incapable of taking the demand forward he should resign.