Gorkhaland Territorial Administration delay spurs campaign race in Darjeeling hills

Darjeeling, Feb. 7.TT: The rivals of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha have geared up their revival activities as prospects of the government implementing the new administrative arrangement for the hills by March 27 seem dim.

The deadline was set by Morcha chief Bimal Gurung but with the territory issue yet to be sorted out, chances of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) coming into force by next month is almost impossible.

Under the circumstances, the GNLF has decided to hold a public meeting in Mirik on February 26 to garner support for the Sixth Schedule status for the hills. Party president Subash Ghisingh will be present at the meeting — to be his first public address after the Assembly elections. He had attended a public meeting before the elections.

The Gorkhaland Task Force, a conglomerate of five outfits opposed to the Morcha, has revved up a campaign for statehood. The GTF members — the ABGL, CPRM, GNLF(C), Gorkhaland Rashtriya Nirman Morcha and the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisang — are currently meeting MPs and MLAs in the Northeast, seeking support for the formation of a separate state, an activity that has been bothering Morcha chief Bimal Gurung.

He had come down heavily on the GTF yesterday in Kalimpong, accusing its members of being in touch with the Maoists. He also said his rivals were opposing the GTA only for the sake of opposing it.

Arjun Rai, the convener of the GNLF’s Mirik unit, today said: “We have decided to hold a public meeting in Mirik on February 26 and our party president Subash Ghisingh is expected to be present. He will announce the party’s future course of action in support of the implementation of the Sixth Schedule status in the hills.”

Ghisingh, who had been hounded out of the hills by the Morcha in 2008, returned on April 8, 2011. The very next day, he headed for Mirik to attend an election meeting — the only public meeting he had addressed — to drum up support for the three party candidates.

Following clashes between Morcha and GNLF supporters at Sonada after the election results were announced, Ghisingh had quietly slipped out of the hills under the cover of darkness on May 16, 2011.

A section of GNLF supporters, however, feels that Ghisingh who now stays in Jalpaiguri may come to reside permanently in the hills when he comes up to address the public meeting.

On the other hand, in the GTF camp, a team met P.A. Sangma, the NCP leader and former Speaker of the Lok Sabha at his residence at Tura in Meghalaya yesterday.

Chhatrey Subba, the chief of the Gorkha Liberation Organisation, also appears to have plans to revive his political activities after nearly 10 years. Gurung has been wary of the 71-year-old Gorkha leader, who is known to be against any form of autonomy, even the GTA, and is a staunch supporter of Gorkhaland.

The Morcha has threatened to re-launch the agitation for statehood if the government fails to implement the GTA by March 27.

Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri said his party was not worried about the GNLF demand for the Sixth Schedule status for the hills.

He said governor M.K. Narayanan has assured the party of all possible help for the early implementation of the GTA. “The governor has promised to speak to the President during their scheduled meeting on February 15,” said Giri, who met Narayanan at the Darjeeling Raj Bhavan this evening. The GTA Bill is awaiting the President’s approval.

Sibchu meeting

The Morcha will hold a prayer meeting at Sibchu tomorrow after a 12-km run from Nagrakata, reports our Jalpaiguri correspondent. Party members will pay tribute to Morcha supporters “who laid down their lives” for Gorkhaland at the meeting.

The rebel faction of the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad led by John Barla will also participate in the meeting.

The Jalpaiguri district administration has granted permission to the Morcha to hold the run. But police are unaware of the public meeting to be addressed by Gurung.

“The police will be deployed along NH31 from Chulsa to Nagrakata and we have granted them permission for the run. But we have no information about the public meeting. We have appealed to everyone to maintain peace,” said Arindam Sarkar, the subdivisional police officer of Malbazar.