GJAC to hold “decisive” meeting today

An air of expectation spiced up with a generous helping of apprehension looms large over the Queen of Hills as the Gorkhaland Joint Action Committee gets ready for an all-important meeting on Tuesday to decide the future course of the statehood agitation.

Several meetings have taken place since its inception last month, but the GJAC has not been able to chalk out a comprehensive strategy to counter the response of the state government that appears more than determined to deploy all its administrative machinery to scuttle out the renewed statehood movement launched by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. As part of its strategy, the government has so far arrested more than 2,000 GJM activists and leaders.

On its part, the joint forum that comprises six political and apolitical outfits including the GJM has been observing a shutdown in the forms of ‘ghar bhitra janta’ and ‘sadak ma janta’ agitations.

In spite of the hardships involved, hill residents have so far supported the movement without any complaints. However, the big question now is “how long” can the strike continue, and this has started to haunt the statehood flag bearers.

“We cannot continue with the strikes for very long. The fallacy of it will only be alienation of the people from the movement after a certain time,” pointed out RB Rai, president of the Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxist (CPRM), the second largest political constituent of the GJAC.

In this sense, Tuesday’s meeting holds great significance as members of the joint forum remain divided on the issue of maintaining the present status quo.

Hardliners of the forum wants the agitation to continue in its present form with strikes, while another section is against putting people into difficulties even though it wants the agitation to spill over to places outside the Darjeeling hills.

“Of course, we must continue to pressurise the state and central governments with the statehood demand. There is no doubt on that. But first, ways must be chalked out on which we must then work to achieve our demand. Ours must be a pan-India movement henceforth. Strikes are only temporary measures,” said a member of the joint forum refusing to be named.

Sources have said Tuesday’s meeting is expected to revolve around ways to address the present situation; to find a middle path and to hit upon a long-drawn strategy to take the movement forward.

“A proper and long-drawn out strategy is of primary importance for any movement to make it successful. The present agitation procedure is indicating the struggle will be long. We must, with patience, perseverance and a comprehensive plan, tackle various obstructions that are bound to arise in a movement,” pronounced the GJAC member.(EOIC)