‘Gorkhaland is our aspiration’-Interview of the week:

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) general secretary, Mr Roshan Giri, who on behalf of the GJM signed the July 18 accord with the government for the setting up of a Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), tells Kaushik Pradhan that the GJM is the “only national political platform” of the Nepali-speaking people in the country and that it has “state committees” in different parts of India.

He said the people of the Darjeeling Hills want a “separate homeland” and that Gorkhaland is their “aspiration” and “goal”.

The demand for a separate Gorkhaland state was dropped when the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) agreement was signed in 1988 by Subhas Ghising. But, despite the July 18 Pintail accord signed by the GJM, the demand for Gorkhaland is still alive on your agenda.

Subhas Ghising had ditched the people of the hills. He had signed the tripartite agreement after dropping the demand for Gorkhaland. He was a traitor. The people of the Darjeeling Hills want Gorkhaland, a separate homeland.

Gorkhaland is their aspiration and their goal. The GJM is the true representative of the people of the hills, and that is the reason we have not forsaken our demand for Gorkhaland, although we have signed the memorandum of agreement (MoA) with the Centre and the state government for a GTA.

What are the differences you find between the existing DGHC and the proposed GTA in terms of powers to administer the area claimed by the GJM for the ethnic Nepali people?

The GTA will be a much more powerful body than the DGHC. It will have more powers, and an expanded list of subjects to administer. In the MoA, it is mentioned that the GTA will undertake 27 approved projects to develop physical and social infrastructure.

The GTA will also have the power to create Group-B, C and D posts. The GTA will have 59 departments with it compared to 42 which the DGHC had.

The GTA will even have the power to collect taxes in the transferred subjects. It will also get a share of the taxes collected by the Government of India. According to the MoA, the Centre will consider giving tribal status to all Gorkhas, except the Scheduled Castes. The GTA will have a separate higher education council, school service commission and college service commission.

It will also have the Tauzi department of the collectorate, which means it will have power to renew lease of tea estates. Besides, the GTA is authorised to set up a processing plant for cinchona at Mungpoo.

The GTA will be like a state Assembly with a chairman and deputy chairman. It will get Central assistance of Rs 200 crore every year for three years, compared to the annual allocation of `22 crore for the DGHC.

The GJM is the strongest organisation of the Gorkha people of Darjeeling. Does it enjoy the support of Nepali-speakers settled elsewhere in the country in good numbers?

We are the strongest organisation of the Gorkha people not only in the Darjeeling Hills but also across the country. The GJM is the only national political platform of all Gorkhas in India. We have state committees in different parts of India, too.

What is the relationship between the GJM and other organisations of the Gorkhas in Darjeeling? Are there groups that might reject the GTA agreement that has just been signed?

The Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists (CPRM) and Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League oppose the GTA. Even if we secure Gorkhaland, they will oppose it. Their only agenda is to oppose whatever stand our party takes. However, one thing is clear: they do not enjoy people’s support. We have cordial relationship with other Gorkha organisations in the hills.

Why could an agreement of the GTA type not be reached with the erstwhile Left Front government? What were the practical or conceptual difficulties?

The only reason was that the Left Front government was never sincere in solving the problem. Their political conscience was not clear. They wanted to suppress our movement. Their objective was to kill time.

They did not support our cause. The Left Front government even used brutal force to crush our democratic and peaceful agitation. It ordered the police to open fire on our unarmed supporters in Sipchu, where three innocent people were killed early this year.

On the other hand, the Trinamul Congress government has, from the beginning, been very sympathetic, sensitive and sincere. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is an honest political leader. She had promised to do something for us and she kept her promise by resolving the contentious issue within two months of taking over as the Chief Minister.

What would be the annual allocation for the GTA from the West Bengal government? What would be the priority spending areas under the GJM?

As of now, the annual allocation from the West Bengal government has not been calculated, especially the non-plan expenditure. We will have to work it out. With regard to priority spending areas, we want more funds for sectors like health, education, road connectivity, supply of adequate and safe drinking water and tourism.

Our focus will be on creating more job opportunities. We definitely want to showcase Darjeeling as one of the finest tourist destinations in the world.

In the 50-member GTA, will 45 seats be filled through a proper election in Darjeeling Hills? Should such an election be conducted by the Election Commission? Will the GJM field some non-Gorkha candidates?

Certainly a proper election will be held to elect 45 members of the 50-member body. The Governor will nominate the remaining five members on behalf of the state government. The State Election Commission will conduct the elections, according to the MoA.

Of course, the GJM will field some non-Gorkha candidates in the election, but their percentage compared to the Gorkha candidates will be decided later. From the first day of our movement we have enjoyed the support of non-Gorkha people in Darjeeling, and we are confident of that even in the future. You should note that the GJM is for everyone. It believes in a pluralistic society.
~deccan