Pro Gorkhaland forces taken common movement path

SILIGURI: In order to strengthen their movement, pro Gorkhaland forces in Darjeeling hills in West Bengal have chalked up a multi pronged movement plan including scrapping of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration(GTA), continuation of ongoing bandh or not to attend meeting called by state Government.

Amid rising unrest and overall uncertainty in the hills, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) convened an all-party meeting on Tuesday afternoon. Face to face with strong and aggressive counter measures of Government, GJM became desperate to reunite all hill forces to tackle its main challenges. Continuation of the movement and handling TMC in political front. Success in these two challenges can ensure GJM’s supremacy in the movement on Gorkhaland demand, the long standing focal point of entire hill politics.

In addition to many pro Gorkhaland forces including Jana Andolan Party(JAP) or GNLF, major parties like BJP or Congress were also present in the meet today.

As learnt, the JAP leader Harka Bahadur Chhetri’s proposal to withdraw the ongoing indefinite bandh has not been accepted. Obviously, that has poured cold water on hope of business community. On its 9th day today, the bandh has already started casting its dark shadow over almost every section of commercial arena in hills as well as foothills. Darjeeling has old experience of many episodes of month long bandh on the same issue.

Next, “We have decided not to take part in GTA functioning anymore,” GJM leader T. C. Roca said. Scrapping GTA is not going to cause much of loss to GJM as its term is also ending by next couple of days. Autonomous administrative body GTA was formed under strong persuasion of WB CM and TMC Chief Mamata Benerjee in 2012. She also indirectly helped GJM to get into GTAs power without any opposition. In return, TMC enjoyed many electoral benefits in adjoining foothills as outcome of this friendship with GJM.

As the next major step, a core group has been formed to meet Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday.

Importantly, hill political forces have decided not to attend the meeting convened by the state Government for all Hill Parties to take place on 22nd at Siliguri as a gesture of their firm standpoint in favour of Gorkhaland.