“Ahluwalia and the GTA were unable to comprehensively explain the central government about the importance of the university in the hills and lost the chance. This has made us extremely disappointed,” Moktan stated.
Highlighting other political issues currently prevalent in the hills, he also suggested all the political parties to come together for the common cause of Gorkhaland and head towards Delhi to kick start the negotiations. When asked about Kalimpong getting a district status following Alipurduwar, he said the issue is not relevant at the moment. “When we are trying to fight for a separate state, we should completely focus on it. The issues related to formation of districts, sub-divisions and blocks will come later,” Moktan explained.
Slamming the GJM’s strategy to form Gorkhaland by 2017, Moktan said, “The GJM has set the target keeping in mind the state assembly elections in 2016, with the notion that the BJP will sweep the elections and form the state government. This strategy has a very slim chance of materialising.”
He further alleged the different hill MLAs, who won the election on the basis of statehood demand, have not even uttered a word about Gorkhaland in the state assembly. “They have not even tried to explain the gravity of the demand to the sitting MLAs in the assembly,” he claimed.
Moktan also spoke against the implementation of the Sixth Schedule and said its implementation in the Darjeeling hills is not relevant. Stating the Sixth Schedule worked well only in Assam and failed in other state, he also explained about other historic facts about the act. Moktan also slammed the GNLF led campaign to reinstate DGHC until the Sixth Schedule is implemented, terming it as a ploy by the state government.(EOIC)