Gorkhaland shadow over ‘Martyrs’ Day’ rally in Kolkata

EOI CORRESPONDENT, DARJEELING, 21 JULY 2023 : The unfulfilled demand of Gorkhaland cast its shadow on the ‘Martyrs’ Day’ rally of Trinamool Congress in Kolkata on Friday as Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha president Anit Thapa, while addressing the public meeting at Esplanade, recalled the sacrifices of the Gorkha community. Wary of the circumstances under which he was, however, Thapa refrained from making any direct reference to the statehood demand.

“Youths of the Gorkha community have been martyred in large numbers but their dream remains unfulfilled yet,” the leader from the hills said. Indirectly, however, he referred to the political demands of the hills by training his gun on the BJP for failing to deliver on its promises. 

"We supported and voted for the BJP for 15 years but have got nothing in return. The BJP entered Bengal from the Darjeeling hills. We have now understood their intentions. The BJP does not have any presence in the hills and now they should be wiped out from Bengal," said the BGPM president. The BJP in its election manifesto has promised to find a permanent political solution for the hills and grant tribal status to11 left-out Gorkha communities.

During the panchayat election, Darjeeling MP and BJP national spokesperson, Raju Bista had assured voters that the Centre would call a tripartite  within July 10 to 20;which is yet to materialize.

Fresh from the impressive victory in the recently concluded panchayat election, Anit Thapa pledged to work with the West Bengal government to ensure peace, stability and development in the Darjeeling hills. The BGPM helms the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration and the municipalities and after winning the two tier gram panchayat and panchayat samiti election, recently is in absolute control. 

Thapa who is the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration chairman was one of the invitee speakers to address the ‘Martyrs’ Day’ program organized by the Trinamool Congress in Kolkata. The BGPM has also been apolitical ally of the Trinamool since 2017, after the 104 days statehood movement in the hills was squashed by the State Government.."We believe in practical politics and also have faith on Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. She has delivered on her promises. The CM is a visionary and works for the people. We too want to work together with the State Government to develop the hills," said Thapa. He mentioned about the State Government setting up a university in the hills and said the education system in the hills had improved with the initiatives of the Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, as part of its pan West Bengal programme, the hills unit of the BJP during the day organized dharna in the nine block offices of the GTA region to protest against the rigging and violence in the panchayat election. In the hills, however, the polls on July 8 were peaceful.

Speaking outside the Jorebunglow- Sukhiapokhri block office, BJP youth wing leader Sanjeev Lama said: "This programme is being held all over Bengal by the BJP against the violence and looting of ballot boxes by the Trinamool during the panchayat polls. In the hills the Trinamool and the BGPM are indulging in horse trading, using money to lure winning independent candidates and those of the opposition political parties".