DARJEELING | TOI: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) held its first national conference in Darjeeling on Sunday.
The party leadership adopted four resolutions - demand for a separate state, conferring tribal status to the entire Gorkha community except for scheduled castes, giving linguistic minority status to Darjeeling Hills and inclusion of Terai and Dooars in the GTA.
GJM representatives from other states raised questions on the party's future course of action. "We support the policies of GJM and the GTA. But, we want to know what comes after this," said Gyan Joshi, a party representative from Meghalaya.
"The subject of a separate state should not be closed, even if the GTA is a stepping stone for it," said another party member from Arunachal Pradesh.
Replying to questions on the fate of the GTA, GJM chief Bimal Gurung, said, "We cannot achieve anything if we lose patience. The state government has given us the responsibility to run the GTA and we are doing that. But if they dishonour the resolutions we take in the GTA Sabha, then we will have to opt for the route of agitation."
Party members had also expressed doubt on the security of Gorkhas living outside the Hills. Gurung, however, allayed their fears.
"I will be hurt if a single Gorkha in other states gets discriminated. If you wish, I will speak to the chief ministers of your states and the Centre in this regard," he said
Gurung was critical about the state government's motive behind forming the Lepcha Development Board (LDB). "If the chief minister really cares, she should set up boards for other Gorkha communities as well," he said. He also vowed not to abandon Terai and Dooars.
While the GJM president said prolonged dialogues were needed to pursue the state for the demand of Gorkhaland, Gurung said he would not abandon the Terai and Doors region at any cost.
Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) party's first national conference organized in Darjeeling today, raked up the burning issues of the demand for a Gorkhaland state and the future and security of the Gorkha community residing in other states of the country.
GJM's unit representatives from twenty-two states, not much clear about the political polices being taken up by the central committee in Darjeeling Hills attended the conference, with the common question - what after the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).
"We wholeheartedly support the GJM policies and also the GTA. But, we seek to know what comes after this. We have always supported the party because of the question on the Gorkha identity in the country. However, of late In Meghalaya question is being asked about what after GTA," said Gyan Joshi, representing the Northeast state. In another instance a representative from Arunachal Pradesh said,"We have assembled here today only for Gorkhaland. The subject of a separate state should not be closed, even if the GTA is a stepping stone towards it".
This question and sentiment was echoed by every member of the representing states in their speeches.
Before answering to the question, the GJM leadership adopted four resolutions and- demand for a separate state, conferring tribal status to the entire Gorkha community except for the schedule caste, giving linguistic minority status to Darjeeling Hills and inclusion of Terai and Dooars in the GTA- and passed it in the house.
Answering to the question of fate of GTA, Bimal Gurung, the GJM chief said, "We cannot achieve anything if we lose patience. The state government has given us the GTA run and we are doing that. But, if they (state government) interfere or dishonor the resolution we take in the GTA Sabha then we will discard it and take to the agitation mode".
To queries from the visiting delegations about the safety and future of the Gorkha community living outside the Hills, the GJM leader said, "I will be hurt if a single Gorkha in other states get discriminated. If you want I will speak to the chief ministers of your states and also the central government in this regard". Representatives from Haryana, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Assam pointed out how the Gorkha people in the states were being terrorized and threatened.
Gurung was critical about the motive in the formation of the Lepcha Development Board (LDB) and questioned the state government's initiative. "I have no issues but how come the state government decided to give a board only to the Lepchas when there are other communities. If the Chief Minister really cares then she should set up boards for the other Gorkha communities too," he said.
The GJM president who is also the chief executive of the GTA while referring to the demand of a separate state also made it clear to the audience that prolonged dialogues and were needed to pursue the state government for division of Bengal. "It is imperative that we make the people in Bengal and the state government understand our demand for separation. For this we need to engage the state government in talks," said Gurung.
The point was amplified by representatives from Kolkata. "Kolkatans always asks us why we are demanding separation from Bengal. Initially, they were rigid in their thoughts but now the attitudes are changing after we started explaining. Any right minded Bengali will always accept things if provided proper arguments," said N. K. Lopchan.
On the issue of inclusion of the Terai and Dooars regions in the GTA, the GJM chief said that the report of the three member verification committee set up by the state government would chalk the future policies. "I will not abandon Terai and Dooars in any circumstances. We will wait for the report of the verification committee and accordingly strategize our next course of action," said Gurung.
GJM has demanded for inclusion of 396 mouzas of the Terai and Dooars regions in the GTA. However, retired Justice Shyamal Sen appointed by the state government has recommended for inclusion of only five mouzas. The GJM party out-rightly rejected the recommendation which forced the state government to form a three member verification committee whose report is awaited.
The party leadership adopted four resolutions - demand for a separate state, conferring tribal status to the entire Gorkha community except for scheduled castes, giving linguistic minority status to Darjeeling Hills and inclusion of Terai and Dooars in the GTA.
GJM representatives from other states raised questions on the party's future course of action. "We support the policies of GJM and the GTA. But, we want to know what comes after this," said Gyan Joshi, a party representative from Meghalaya.
"The subject of a separate state should not be closed, even if the GTA is a stepping stone for it," said another party member from Arunachal Pradesh.
Replying to questions on the fate of the GTA, GJM chief Bimal Gurung, said, "We cannot achieve anything if we lose patience. The state government has given us the responsibility to run the GTA and we are doing that. But if they dishonour the resolutions we take in the GTA Sabha, then we will have to opt for the route of agitation."
Party members had also expressed doubt on the security of Gorkhas living outside the Hills. Gurung, however, allayed their fears.
"I will be hurt if a single Gorkha in other states gets discriminated. If you wish, I will speak to the chief ministers of your states and the Centre in this regard," he said
Gurung was critical about the state government's motive behind forming the Lepcha Development Board (LDB). "If the chief minister really cares, she should set up boards for other Gorkha communities as well," he said. He also vowed not to abandon Terai and Dooars.
While the GJM president said prolonged dialogues were needed to pursue the state for the demand of Gorkhaland, Gurung said he would not abandon the Terai and Doors region at any cost.
Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) party's first national conference organized in Darjeeling today, raked up the burning issues of the demand for a Gorkhaland state and the future and security of the Gorkha community residing in other states of the country.
GJM's unit representatives from twenty-two states, not much clear about the political polices being taken up by the central committee in Darjeeling Hills attended the conference, with the common question - what after the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).
"We wholeheartedly support the GJM policies and also the GTA. But, we seek to know what comes after this. We have always supported the party because of the question on the Gorkha identity in the country. However, of late In Meghalaya question is being asked about what after GTA," said Gyan Joshi, representing the Northeast state. In another instance a representative from Arunachal Pradesh said,"We have assembled here today only for Gorkhaland. The subject of a separate state should not be closed, even if the GTA is a stepping stone towards it".
This question and sentiment was echoed by every member of the representing states in their speeches.
Before answering to the question, the GJM leadership adopted four resolutions and- demand for a separate state, conferring tribal status to the entire Gorkha community except for the schedule caste, giving linguistic minority status to Darjeeling Hills and inclusion of Terai and Dooars in the GTA- and passed it in the house.
Answering to the question of fate of GTA, Bimal Gurung, the GJM chief said, "We cannot achieve anything if we lose patience. The state government has given us the GTA run and we are doing that. But, if they (state government) interfere or dishonor the resolution we take in the GTA Sabha then we will discard it and take to the agitation mode".
To queries from the visiting delegations about the safety and future of the Gorkha community living outside the Hills, the GJM leader said, "I will be hurt if a single Gorkha in other states get discriminated. If you want I will speak to the chief ministers of your states and also the central government in this regard". Representatives from Haryana, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Assam pointed out how the Gorkha people in the states were being terrorized and threatened.
Gurung was critical about the motive in the formation of the Lepcha Development Board (LDB) and questioned the state government's initiative. "I have no issues but how come the state government decided to give a board only to the Lepchas when there are other communities. If the Chief Minister really cares then she should set up boards for the other Gorkha communities too," he said.
The GJM president who is also the chief executive of the GTA while referring to the demand of a separate state also made it clear to the audience that prolonged dialogues and were needed to pursue the state government for division of Bengal. "It is imperative that we make the people in Bengal and the state government understand our demand for separation. For this we need to engage the state government in talks," said Gurung.
The point was amplified by representatives from Kolkata. "Kolkatans always asks us why we are demanding separation from Bengal. Initially, they were rigid in their thoughts but now the attitudes are changing after we started explaining. Any right minded Bengali will always accept things if provided proper arguments," said N. K. Lopchan.
On the issue of inclusion of the Terai and Dooars regions in the GTA, the GJM chief said that the report of the three member verification committee set up by the state government would chalk the future policies. "I will not abandon Terai and Dooars in any circumstances. We will wait for the report of the verification committee and accordingly strategize our next course of action," said Gurung.
GJM has demanded for inclusion of 396 mouzas of the Terai and Dooars regions in the GTA. However, retired Justice Shyamal Sen appointed by the state government has recommended for inclusion of only five mouzas. The GJM party out-rightly rejected the recommendation which forced the state government to form a three member verification committee whose report is awaited.
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