Tamang seeks Constitutional Justice: Wants region included in NE Council;

Morcha leaders urge Modi, Mamta to open dialogue to settle Gorkha issue

ASHISH PRADHAN, SNS, SUKNA, 13 DECEMBER 2020 : Amid the political churning in the region and the fast approaching Assembly elections in the state, leader of the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha Binoy Tamang today asserted that he is still a force to reckon with, while he also issued a word of caution to the state and central governments over issues related to the region.

Addressing a massive public meeting at the Sukna High School grounds, around 10km away from Siliguri. Mr Tamang also sought what he called 'constitutional justice' for the people of the region and demanded bipartite and tripartite talks to settle issues plaguing the Hills.' He further demanded that the Indo-Nepal Friendship Treaty-1950 and Indo-Bhutan Treaty-1949 be scrapped. According to him, these treaties were the biggest hurdles in the demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland and the demand for Gorkhas' identity.

"The Hills, including Kalimpong, Dooars and the Terai are treaty-obligated areas. These areas were under excluded areas till 1935. Later, after 1935 and until 1947, they were partially-excluded areas. However, while 35 of the 36 partially-exduded areas got constitutional justice after Independence, the Hills, Terai and the Dooars here were not granted constitutional rights. We want the central government to grant constitutional justice and scrap the Indo-Bhutan and Indo-Nepal treaties," Mr Tamang said. appealing to top leaders in the country to scrap the agreements for the sake of India's security too. "Looking at the history of the region, some danger is lurking here and a threat is imminent," he added.

He further appealed to the Narendra Modi government at the Centre to include this region in the Northeast Council at the earliest.

Stating that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had assured him that she would fight for the Gorkhas identity and protection, Mr Tamang appealed to the CM to take steps to have his demands fulfilled.

"The state government should at the earliest call bipartite talks with us on the issue of constitutional justice, and then tripartite talks with the Centre," he said.

"We have six more months to go for the (Assembly) elections, and we want constitutional justice before that. If the issue is not addressed within those six months, we will take our own separate stand," he said. He also said that as part of his party's "intellectual movement," he would hold a seminar to discuss all these issues with intellectuals and think tanks at the National Forum for Northeast.

Likening himself to a "sleeping tiger," Mr Tamang further warned both the central and state governments against teasing him, and said that someone who knew how to "douse the fire (during the 2017 agitation) would also know how to ignite it."

Various leaders of the faction who spoke in today's rally said they had taken on the mantle of the Hill leadership with "naya soch, naya bichaar" (new thinking, new belief).

Stating that he would henceforth work as the "protector" of the people, General Secretary of the party and the Chairman of the Gorkhaland Tenitorial Administration, Anit Thapa, said he would welcome all people displaced during the Gorkhaland agitation to his party "even Bimal Gurung if he agrees to work under the leadership of Binoy Tamang and gives up his old beliefs."

"I also want to request the government to not insert two khukuris (Gorkha knife) in one sheath. If the sheath breaks, blood will spill in the Hills.  Mr Thapa said, probably referring to Miss Banerjee's mow to join hands with the other faction of the Morcha led by Bimal Gurung. Mr Gurung recently returned to the region after over three years of hiding after the 2017 Gorkhaland agitation. He has severed ties with the BJP and has now thrown his weight behind Miss Banerjee for the upcoming state elections.

Reminding Miss Banerjee of her promise to solve the identity crisis of the Gorkhas, Mr Thapa said: "Gorkhas have put their faith in you and have high hopes on you. The Gorkhas will remain ever grateful to you if you solve issues related to our identity," adding that the BJP deceived the Gorkhas in the past 15 years.

Another Morcha leader, Tshering Dahal, also urged Miss Banerjee to help open a dialogue to solve the problems of the Gorkhas, as per her earlier commitment to stand by the community.

"I also appeal to the Modi government to keep aside the cold war between the Centre and the state and open dialogue in the interest of the Gorkhas if you want integrity and security of the country to remain intact," Ms Dahal said.

Noted award-winning litterateur of the Hills, Jas Yonzon Pyasi, who came in as a surprise speaker in the rally, said people should always go for "new thinking and new belief."

"One has to pave one's own way, and the readiness that I see in doing this good work (among the leaders), I myself decided to come here and speak my thoughts out," said Mr Yonzon, the former professor of Kurseong College.

(https://epaper.thestatesman.com/2923538/Siliguri-The-Statesman/14TH-DECEMBER-2020#page/2/2)