The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) seems to be losing patience with its
ally the BJP in Delhi for keeping GJM in the dark about the present
standing of the statehood demand even though the issue had been included
in the saffron party’s election manifesto.
On Monday, GJM assistant secretary Binay Tamang said party president Bimal Gurung and other senior leaders would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi later this week to discuss the one-point agenda of a separate state. “The BJP had included our statehood demand in their 2009 and 2013 election manifestos. Even Modiji has said the dreams of the Gorkhas were his too. Now, we want this dream to be a reality at the earliest,” he said.
In the 2009 Lok Sabha election, GJM had extended support to the BJP in return for the latter’s assurance to pursue the statehood demand which was mentioned in the manifesto as well. BJP candidate Jaswant Singh had been fielded from Darjeeling and had won by a record margin. In the 2013 election, the Hills party again supported the BJP and its candidate Surendra Singh Ahluwalia. Again the understanding remained support for the separate state demand.
Ahluwalia who eventually won and became the Darjeeling MP has not openly talked about GJM’s demand except for saying it was over hundred year old and justified, in various platforms. However, it was Modi’s election speech in Siliguri where he had said that the dreams of the Gorkhas were his also that had provided GJM the impetus.
The GJM has already announced a nine day dharna at Jantar Mantar in Delhi from March 9 to 17 for the statehood demand. The party feels Delhi is the final authority to take a decision on the separate state demand. “Our party president will also participate in the dharna. During the dharna period, Gurung will also meet the Prime Minister and other central leaders including those from the Opposition parties with the one-point agenda of a separate Gorkhaland state,” said Tamang.
The dharna was originally scheduled in the month of December in 2014 but GJM had cancelled it to honour the request of Union home minister Rajnath Singh.
In a party meeting on Monday to chalk out the dharna programme in Delhi, it was decided that the chairmen and vice-chairmen and ward councillors of the four municipalities in the hills and the three MLAs from the hills would participate. “Besides, the MLAs, all the elected Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Sabhasads including GJM nominated ones and 50 members from the party’s youth wing would be in Delhi to take part in the dharna. We have also asked 10 members each from the four Hills sub-divisions to attend the programme,” Tamang said, adding that a team would leave for Delhi in a couple of days to make the preparations there.
The GJM assistant secretary said members from the party’s unit in Haryana, Delhi, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh and Gorkha associations from the Northeast regions would also participate in the dharna. (EOIC)
On Monday, GJM assistant secretary Binay Tamang said party president Bimal Gurung and other senior leaders would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi later this week to discuss the one-point agenda of a separate state. “The BJP had included our statehood demand in their 2009 and 2013 election manifestos. Even Modiji has said the dreams of the Gorkhas were his too. Now, we want this dream to be a reality at the earliest,” he said.
In the 2009 Lok Sabha election, GJM had extended support to the BJP in return for the latter’s assurance to pursue the statehood demand which was mentioned in the manifesto as well. BJP candidate Jaswant Singh had been fielded from Darjeeling and had won by a record margin. In the 2013 election, the Hills party again supported the BJP and its candidate Surendra Singh Ahluwalia. Again the understanding remained support for the separate state demand.
Ahluwalia who eventually won and became the Darjeeling MP has not openly talked about GJM’s demand except for saying it was over hundred year old and justified, in various platforms. However, it was Modi’s election speech in Siliguri where he had said that the dreams of the Gorkhas were his also that had provided GJM the impetus.
The GJM has already announced a nine day dharna at Jantar Mantar in Delhi from March 9 to 17 for the statehood demand. The party feels Delhi is the final authority to take a decision on the separate state demand. “Our party president will also participate in the dharna. During the dharna period, Gurung will also meet the Prime Minister and other central leaders including those from the Opposition parties with the one-point agenda of a separate Gorkhaland state,” said Tamang.
The dharna was originally scheduled in the month of December in 2014 but GJM had cancelled it to honour the request of Union home minister Rajnath Singh.
In a party meeting on Monday to chalk out the dharna programme in Delhi, it was decided that the chairmen and vice-chairmen and ward councillors of the four municipalities in the hills and the three MLAs from the hills would participate. “Besides, the MLAs, all the elected Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Sabhasads including GJM nominated ones and 50 members from the party’s youth wing would be in Delhi to take part in the dharna. We have also asked 10 members each from the four Hills sub-divisions to attend the programme,” Tamang said, adding that a team would leave for Delhi in a couple of days to make the preparations there.
The GJM assistant secretary said members from the party’s unit in Haryana, Delhi, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh and Gorkha associations from the Northeast regions would also participate in the dharna. (EOIC)
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