Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad boost

Siliguri, TT.Jan. 23: The central leadership of the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad has asked for a report on regional demands, an indication that the top brass were not ready to ignore rebel leader John Barla.

The state leadership of the Parishad, a dominant adivasi outfit, had expelled Barla for supporting a proposed arrangement that brings the hills and the Terai and the Dooars under one administrative set-up. Barla had even signed an agreement with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha to fight for the Gorkha Adivasi Territorial Administration or GATA.

Somjibhai Damor, the all-India president of the Parishad who met a delegation of the rebel leaders in Delhi yesterday, said he had sought a report from state president Birsa Tirkey.

“They have requested me to recognise a separate committee of the Parishad in north Bengal, which would be under the ambit of the central leaders but outside the purview of the current state committee in Bengal,” Damor told The Telegraph over phone from Delhi.

Barla has also asked the central leaders to visit north Bengal to know the ground reality.

“On the basis of their (rebels’) submission, I have asked for a detailed report from the state president. The report will be placed in the national executive committee meeting,” Damor added.

Barla said unlike the state leadership, the national leaders did not ignore the aspirations and sentiments of the people in the Dooars and the Terai.

“The president gave us a patient hearing,” Munda said over the phone. “We hope there will be a positive outcome.”

Barla and his supporters also met Darjeeling MP Jaswant Singh in Delhi. Morcha chief Bimal Gurung was also present at the meeting. “We expressed our support for GATA. The MP supported our demand,” Munda said.