Move to revoke Article 370 in Kashmir fuels Gorkhaland fire

Amitava Banerjee | MP | 5 August 2019 | Darjeeling: As the Article 370 was revoked in Jammu and Kashmir, the spillover effect was felt in Darjeeling.

Binay Tamang faction of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) demanded that "Gorkhaland" be created immediately.

The Bimal Gurung faction of the GJM demanded that United Territory status be granted to Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Terai and Dooars areas of North Bengal.

"Like the Article 370 was revoked and the Jammu and Kashmir state was into two Union Territories likewise the government should invoke Article 3 of the Indian constitution and carve out either Gorkhaland state or grant an Union Territory status to Darjeeling, Kalimpong and contiguous areas," stated Binay Tamang, president, GJM faction.

He further stated that there is a regional autonomy arrangement in Ladakh and now it has a Union Territory status.

"A similar arrangement also exists in the Darjeeling and Kalimpong Hills. If Ladakh can be given a UT status why not the Hills here?" questioned Tamang.

He asked the BJP and its Hill allies including GJM (Bimal faction) GNLF and the Gorkha organizations in Delhi to make clear their stand regarding "Permanent political solution" for the Gorkha issue that the BJP had assured during the recently concluded

parliamentary election and Assembly by-polls in the Darjeeling Hills.

Posters to this effect was put up the GJM (Binay faction) and their frontal organizations in the Hills on Monday.

Meanwhile, the GJM (Bimal Gurung faction) has demanded a United Territory status for the Hills and contiguous areas of the plains.

A press release signed by Bimal Gurung stated that a similar condition exists in West Bengal like Kashmir.

"There is heavy infiltration of Bangladeshis thus creating a national security threat. The Gorkhas who are patriotic feel threatened. In order to neutralize the threat the proposed Gorkhaland area should immediately come under the Central Government rule (read UT)," stated the release from Gurung.