Believe in politics of reality - Anit Thapa

Kurseong: Rebel Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leader Anit Thapa on Sunday called upon people of the Darjeeling hills to believe in "politics of reality" to achieve Gorkhaland and said those who had spearheaded the statehood agitation previously made the issue a "begging bowl" to gain power.

"The Gorkhaland demand is century old but even now the situation is the same. It means previous leaders did not know how to raise the demand and move forward. Gorkhaland was made a begging bowl to come to power," Thapa told a public meeting in Kurseong.

"Our leaders only indulged in politics of emotions and remained aloof from reality. Gorkhaland was just made an emotional issue but it has to be made a reality by indulging in politics of reality," added Thapa, who is the vice-chairman of the board of directors appointed by the Mamata Banerjee government to run the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration.

The leader of the Morcha rebel faction led by Binay Tamang said they were in the process of "forming a research team" which would work with the proponents of Telangana state to chart the way forward.

Without taking Morcha president Bimal Gurung's name, Thapa came down heavily on him.

"Before the start of the agitation, our leaders should have asked the Centre what its thoughts were and whether it was the right time to start the statehood movement. The moment there is a crowd, the demand of Gorkhaland is raised," said Thapa.

Alleging that Gurung was staying in a resort in Sikkim, Thapa said: "At one time, he suddenly resigns from the GTA without consulting other Morcha leaders and after four months, takes oath to assume the office. We were in jail then and what might have gone through our minds. Then, none talked about Gorkhaland issue being sold."

Thapa was referring to the 2013 Gorkhaland agitation during which the hills were shut for more than a month. Gurung had quit as the GTA chief executive then, but took charge again after a few months.

Referring to Thapa's comments on the BJP, Pravin Agarwal, the president of the party's Siliguri (organisational) district committee, said the rebel Morcha leader should raise fingers at Trinamul for derailing the statehood movement, instead of blaming the saffron camp.

"The Morcha rebel leaders should blame Trinamul for derailing the movement as the ruling party used the 'divide and rule' policy and divided the hill people for vote bank. Such politically motivated moves of Trinamul have created unrest in the hills," said Agarwal.

He claimed that the BJP had always tried to bring peace to the hills and even requested the Morcha to call off the indefinite strike.

"Such leaders shouldn't forget that the BJP had categorically said it would sympathetically consider their demand. It is the central government that is planning tripartite talks and not imposing anything on the hill people like Trinamul and the state government," said Agarwal.

Source: The Telegraph