CPRM takes over Gorkhaland call

DARJEELING: The Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists (CPRM) has taken over the agitation for a separate Gorkhaland state from the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), with the latter on Wednesday asking the people to cooperate with the new West Bengal and start paying the bills and taxes it had boycotted as part of its protest so far.
A week after signing the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) agreement, GJM president Bimal Gurung asked the people on Wednesday to pay their bills and taxes from next month. Since April 2008, the Hills people had not been paying their electricity and telephone bills and the motor vehicles taxes as dictated by the GJM. It was part of the latter's non-cooperation movement against the then CPM-led state government.
"From next month, you can pay your electricity and telephone bills, land rent and motor vehicles taxes as we are lifting the non-cooperation movement against the state government," Gurung said, addressing a gathering on the occasion of Sahid Diwas (martyrs' day) in Darjeeling. The GJM leader also allayed the growing apprehensions among people about the long-pending dues that have accumulated. "I will talk to the government about the pending dues, which will be settled. You should not worry about that," he said.
To observe the day, the CPRM in Kalimpong organized a blood donation camp in the Town Hall, where they announced the beginning of an agitation for a separate state in the Hills. "The blood donation camp is symbolic. Hundreds gave their lives for Gorkhaland. We must show our respect to and appreciation for their sacrifice," said J B Rai, the CPRM vice-president. "The GJM has betrayed the people and wasted the martyrs' sacrifice. We will not let their blood go in vain and start an agitation for Gorkhaland," Rai added.
CPRM will stage a dharna at Jantar Mantar in Delhi from August 10 to 12 followed by a padyatra from Darjeeling to Siliguri from August 20 to 25. The party has also planned to organize seminars to garner support and make people aware of the need for a separate state.
In Darjeeling, hundreds braved the rain to attend the Sahid Diwas programme organized by GJM in Chowrastha. Schools and offices of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) remained closed for the day. Gurung also highlighted the development plans for Darjeeling and said he was keen on starting work at the earliest.
"The next six months are very important. Plenty of development work is needed in the Hills. We will not wait till the formation of the GTA, but start work with funds coming to the DGHC," said Gurung. "We have several plans and may have to bulldoze several existing structures to make way for new ones. But we will provide adequate compensation. To start with, work will begin on an indoor stadium, parking lots and a taxi stand."
GJM felicitated the families of the 1,200 people who died during the 1986 agitation as well as the six who died during GJM's three-year agitation. In the morning, Gurung paid homage to the martyrs of both the agitations at the Sahid Bedi in Chowrastha and promised jobs to one family member of the deceased.
~TOI