Morcha balancing act on statehood

VIVEK CHHETRI, TT, 16 Mar 2019, Sitong: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha on Friday formally declared that Gorkhaland had hit a "technical barrier" because of the 1950 IndoNepal Friendship Treaty.

Political observers saw the statement as a balancing act aimed at pleasing partner Trinamul, which opposes the statehood demand, while placating its core supporters in the hills who want nothing other than a separate state.

Statehood has always been the most important issue in all hill elections -- to the extent that the last municipality election in Darjeeling was fought on the slogan of Gorkhaland versus Bengal. However, with a formal tieup between Morcha and Trinamul, observers, believe that the hill party cannot overtly talk about statehood. Also, there are more voters in the plains, where the statehood demand is strongly opposed.

"On the other hand, identity politics is something that no party in the hills can afford to ignore," said an observer.

Binay Tamang on Friday made it clear during the party's meeting at Sitong, about 40km from Darjeeling, that it is time for a rethink on the identity narrative.

"We say that the statehood demand is 107 years old and so many people have died. But why has the state not been created?" asked Tamang, trying to create a new narrative. Referring to the issue of Indo-Nepal Friendship Treaty, Tamang said that the clauses in this treaty were the "technical barriers", which need to be removed first to achieve the goal of statehood.

"This is a technical barrier. Political parties only seek votes in the name of Gorkhaland, we are saying lets us not make it (Gorkhaland) an election issue," said Tamang.

Explaining the "technical barrier" Tamang said that unless Clause VII and VIII of the treaty were "reviewed and revised", the "identity problem" would remain. These clauses allow for free movement of citizens of India and Nepal in each other's territory and Tamang is of the opinion that there has to first "a clear distinction" between citizens of Nepal and India.

Many protagonist of Gorkhaland believe that Nepali-speaking Indians are labelled "foreigners from Nepal" in their own country and that the only solution is creation of a separate state for Indian Gorkhas.

Tamang on the other hand has talked about solving the identity issue without making Gorkhaland an election issue.

In doing so, observers believe Tamang has tried to balance the party's position before both the hill and plains constituencies. "For (creation of) a state, the biggest barrier is the treaty. It involves different countries and perhaps India does not want to antagonize Nepal but why should Indian Gorkhas suffers in their own country?" questioned Tamang adding that statehood demand would move forward only after the rectification in the treaty. "Even Subash Ghisingh had understood this issue (he had called for scrapping of the clause in 1986) but he did not pursue it further," said Tamang.

Observers believe that Tamang's stand on the issue cannot be rejected, as most of the hill parties are also in favour of reviewing this treaty.