DARJEELING: Former Gorkhaland Liberation Organization (GLO) chief Chhatrey Subba on Monday gave indications that he was not averse to restarting an agitation for a separate state.
In Darjeeling town to meet his friends, 71-year-old Subba, who was released from jail on September 9, 2011, after over a decade.
In town to meet his friends, Subba said that the Hills people were putting him tremendous pressure on him to start an agitation for a Gorkhaland state. "People are coming to me with plans and proposals to restart agitation for Gorkhaland. I will take a final decision after identifying the best proposal," he said., who has been acquitted of all charges.
The former GLO chief was arrested in 2001 from an area near the Indo-Nepal border in connection with a murder attempt on Subash Ghisingh, the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) leader, on February 10, 2011.
After his release from the Jalpaiguri correctional home last year, Subba had remained silent on his plans to start an agitation for a separate state. On Monday, however, Subba did not rule out the possibility of an agitation which could have greater ramification in the Hills politics.
"I have appealed to GJM leader Bimal Gurung to extend support. If he provides it then it will be good," said Subba, who had met had a chance meeting with the GJM leader at a fair in Kalimpong earlier this month.
In an interaction with the media held recently, the GJM president had acknowledged meeting Subba, but was indifferent to the idea of extending support to him. The GJM president had However, the GJM president recently in an interaction with media people in Darjeeling had acknowledged meeting Subba, but was indifferent to the idea of extending support to the latter.
Subba, a staunch supporter of a separate state, had fallen out with Ghisingh and formed the GLO, a militant wing, to continue the Gorkhaland struggle in the 80s. In fact, after his release, Subba had stated that he was not happy with the GJM settling for the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). for which an agreement has already been signed in July last year and a Bill passed in the Assembly.
In 1988, Ghisingh had signed the accord to establish the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) after a 28- month agitation for a Gorkhaland state. People felt cheated when Ghisingh signed the accord and went all out to include the Hills under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian constitution, that was thought to be regressive and divisive in nature.
On Monday, Subba went to the Darjeeling correctional home to meet old friends. "It has been quite a while since I have Darjeeling. I met old friends in the Darjeeling jail and now I am leaving for Kurseong," he said. without giving out his friend's names.
The former GLO leader who was arrested with 13 others was in the Darjeeling jail till 2003. He had made a request in 2002 to shift his case to Jalpaiguri jail for a free and fair trial which was accepted by the court.
In Darjeeling town to meet his friends, 71-year-old Subba, who was released from jail on September 9, 2011, after over a decade.
In town to meet his friends, Subba said that the Hills people were putting him tremendous pressure on him to start an agitation for a Gorkhaland state. "People are coming to me with plans and proposals to restart agitation for Gorkhaland. I will take a final decision after identifying the best proposal," he said., who has been acquitted of all charges.
The former GLO chief was arrested in 2001 from an area near the Indo-Nepal border in connection with a murder attempt on Subash Ghisingh, the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) leader, on February 10, 2011.
After his release from the Jalpaiguri correctional home last year, Subba had remained silent on his plans to start an agitation for a separate state. On Monday, however, Subba did not rule out the possibility of an agitation which could have greater ramification in the Hills politics.
"I have appealed to GJM leader Bimal Gurung to extend support. If he provides it then it will be good," said Subba, who had met had a chance meeting with the GJM leader at a fair in Kalimpong earlier this month.
In an interaction with the media held recently, the GJM president had acknowledged meeting Subba, but was indifferent to the idea of extending support to him. The GJM president had However, the GJM president recently in an interaction with media people in Darjeeling had acknowledged meeting Subba, but was indifferent to the idea of extending support to the latter.
Subba, a staunch supporter of a separate state, had fallen out with Ghisingh and formed the GLO, a militant wing, to continue the Gorkhaland struggle in the 80s. In fact, after his release, Subba had stated that he was not happy with the GJM settling for the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). for which an agreement has already been signed in July last year and a Bill passed in the Assembly.
In 1988, Ghisingh had signed the accord to establish the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) after a 28- month agitation for a Gorkhaland state. People felt cheated when Ghisingh signed the accord and went all out to include the Hills under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian constitution, that was thought to be regressive and divisive in nature.
On Monday, Subba went to the Darjeeling correctional home to meet old friends. "It has been quite a while since I have Darjeeling. I met old friends in the Darjeeling jail and now I am leaving for Kurseong," he said. without giving out his friend's names.
The former GLO leader who was arrested with 13 others was in the Darjeeling jail till 2003. He had made a request in 2002 to shift his case to Jalpaiguri jail for a free and fair trial which was accepted by the court.
Chhatrey hints at comeback- Gorkha leader admits asking Gurung for help to revive state agitation
Darjeeling, Jan. 23: Chhatrey Subba today hinted that he might return to active politics for Gorkhaland, days after he had asked Bimal Gurung for help to re-start the statehood agitation at a “chance meeting” with him.
The Gorkha leader came to Darjeeling today from Kalimpong “to meet” old friends. “I had come to meet old friends in Darjeeling but I would not like to disclose their names. I am under public pressure to start a movement for Gorkhaland and at the moment I am going through various plans submitted to me by the public. I will act according to the best plan submitted to me,” Subba told The Telegraph on his way back.
The 71-year-old had since his release from jail on September 9, 2011, steered clear of any political commitments, though he is known to be against autonomy — one reason why he fell out with Subash Ghisingh.
Asked to confirm if he had approached Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Gurung for help to start the statehood movement, Subba answered in the affirmative.
“How did you come to know about it? It is true that I did request Bimal Gurung to support me to restart the Gorkhaland agitation,” said Subba.
The Morcha had termed the January 11 interaction between Gurung and Subba on the banks of the Relli as a “chance meeting”.
Subba is known to have a decent following in the hills, specially in the Kalimpong subdivision, and is seen as someone who could trouble the Morcha if he decides to take Gurung’s party head on.
“Many people in the hills consider Subba as someone who was committed to the statehood cause. He has also gained much sympathy for the fact that he had to spend 10 years in prison only to be acquitted in the end. Many also believe that Subba was somehow framed and thrown in jail so that he could not confront Ghisingh,” said an observer.
“He could be a headache for the Morcha, which has agreed on the GTA, though it is to be seen whether he can successfully mobilise the hill people to start another movement for statehood and overthrow the Morcha out of power,” the observer added.
Subba is against the formation of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), an administrative set-up for the Darjeeling hills within Bengal.
In fact, a day after his release from jail where he had been lodged for more than a decade on charges of attempting an assassination on Ghisingh, Subba told journalists that he had opposed the formation of the DGHC in 1988 and felt the same about the GTA. “I was the lone voice against the tripartite agreement (to form the DGHC under Ghisingh). I am still suffering because of that. They (the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha) should not have settled for any autonomous set-up. It is wrong,” he had said in Kalimpong.
The Morcha, however, refused to read much into Subba’s claims. “We don’t have anything to say,” Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri said.
The Gorkha leader came to Darjeeling today from Kalimpong “to meet” old friends. “I had come to meet old friends in Darjeeling but I would not like to disclose their names. I am under public pressure to start a movement for Gorkhaland and at the moment I am going through various plans submitted to me by the public. I will act according to the best plan submitted to me,” Subba told The Telegraph on his way back.
The 71-year-old had since his release from jail on September 9, 2011, steered clear of any political commitments, though he is known to be against autonomy — one reason why he fell out with Subash Ghisingh.
Asked to confirm if he had approached Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Gurung for help to start the statehood movement, Subba answered in the affirmative.
“How did you come to know about it? It is true that I did request Bimal Gurung to support me to restart the Gorkhaland agitation,” said Subba.
The Morcha had termed the January 11 interaction between Gurung and Subba on the banks of the Relli as a “chance meeting”.
Subba is known to have a decent following in the hills, specially in the Kalimpong subdivision, and is seen as someone who could trouble the Morcha if he decides to take Gurung’s party head on.
“Many people in the hills consider Subba as someone who was committed to the statehood cause. He has also gained much sympathy for the fact that he had to spend 10 years in prison only to be acquitted in the end. Many also believe that Subba was somehow framed and thrown in jail so that he could not confront Ghisingh,” said an observer.
“He could be a headache for the Morcha, which has agreed on the GTA, though it is to be seen whether he can successfully mobilise the hill people to start another movement for statehood and overthrow the Morcha out of power,” the observer added.
Subba is against the formation of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), an administrative set-up for the Darjeeling hills within Bengal.
In fact, a day after his release from jail where he had been lodged for more than a decade on charges of attempting an assassination on Ghisingh, Subba told journalists that he had opposed the formation of the DGHC in 1988 and felt the same about the GTA. “I was the lone voice against the tripartite agreement (to form the DGHC under Ghisingh). I am still suffering because of that. They (the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha) should not have settled for any autonomous set-up. It is wrong,” he had said in Kalimpong.
The Morcha, however, refused to read much into Subba’s claims. “We don’t have anything to say,” Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri said.
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