JALPAIGURI: Serenity reigned lush green tea bushes in the Dooars and Terai region, with Bhutan hills providing the perfect backdrop to an idyllic setting. But the changing political environment is turning the ethnic equation of the region on its head. Beneath the calm, mistrust and suspicion are fast spreading.
The reason: Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) is pitching for inclusion of 392 mouzas in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) while anti-GJM forces are trying everything to stall the inclusion. Caught in the quagmire is the tribals and local people, whose future is being decided by the parties but who've no clue about it.
"We are confused. While Birsa Tirkey-led Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parshad is strictly against inclusion of Dooars and Terai under GTA, John Barla and his team is in favour of formation of Gorkhaland & Adivasi Territorial Administration. We are afraid that these two groups might get involved in a feud over the issue soon. That will be very harmful for the tribals," a tea worker of Oodlabari shuddered.
With the GJM and ABAVP hogging the limelight, other sections of the population in the Dooars have largely remained unnoticed, which in turn prompted these men to suspect the role of the government. In any hamlet in the Dooars, this population, mainly Bengalis, is significantly low. Two unanswered questions have kept this group of people on tenterhooks: If parts of the Dooars are brought under the GTA, what will be their status? And, if they put up a resistance, will they get support from other anti-Gorkhaland forces?
"We were confident enough until the state government set up the high-power committee to look into the demand for inclusion of parts of the Dooars and Terai under GTA. We will have no alternative but to shift in near future if Dooars is included under GTA. We will definitely put up a resistance, but how long will we be able to sustain when GJM will have all the power?" wondered Tushar Mukherjee of Malbazar.
In places like Malbazar and Alipurduar, there is a sizable Bengali population and yet people are worried. Similar is the plight of the Bengali community in places like Hamiltongunj, Kalchini, Birpara and Banerhat where their count is considerably low. People of these areas are, therefore, more anxious and are spending sleepless nights waiting for the Shyamal Sen committee to submit its report to the government.
"Our future depends on the report. We know if these areas are given to GTA, some day or the other we will have to find some other place to stay. We banked upon the tribals for resisting the GJM. But now even they are divided," said Bablu Sarkar of Hamiltonganj. "It is the bitter truth that you cannot fight for long against the state. If these places are included under GTA, GJM people will enjoy all the powers. Naturally, we will be easy preys since we will be the minority," said Pratap, a youth from Banerhat.
While GJM has made it clear that they won't go for elections unless the 398 mouzas are included under the GTA, ABAVP, Kamtapur People's Party and other Bengali chauvinist groups like Jana Jagaran have announced that they would not allow an inch of land to be given away. This section has already called a two-day strike starting from April 6 opposing the GTA Bill.
All eyes are thus fixed on the recommendations of the high-power committee. "The report will either suggest inclusion of parts of Dooars and Terai in the GTA, or rule it out. There will be unrest in any case," a Congress leader said.
With the diverse population standing divided, chief minister Mamata Banerjee's greatest challenge will be to convince both the parties and bring them into an understanding.
"We are confused. While Birsa Tirkey-led Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parshad is strictly against inclusion of Dooars and Terai under GTA, John Barla and his team is in favour of formation of Gorkhaland & Adivasi Territorial Administration. We are afraid that these two groups might get involved in a feud over the issue soon. That will be very harmful for the tribals," a tea worker of Oodlabari shuddered.
With the GJM and ABAVP hogging the limelight, other sections of the population in the Dooars have largely remained unnoticed, which in turn prompted these men to suspect the role of the government. In any hamlet in the Dooars, this population, mainly Bengalis, is significantly low. Two unanswered questions have kept this group of people on tenterhooks: If parts of the Dooars are brought under the GTA, what will be their status? And, if they put up a resistance, will they get support from other anti-Gorkhaland forces?
"We were confident enough until the state government set up the high-power committee to look into the demand for inclusion of parts of the Dooars and Terai under GTA. We will have no alternative but to shift in near future if Dooars is included under GTA. We will definitely put up a resistance, but how long will we be able to sustain when GJM will have all the power?" wondered Tushar Mukherjee of Malbazar.
In places like Malbazar and Alipurduar, there is a sizable Bengali population and yet people are worried. Similar is the plight of the Bengali community in places like Hamiltongunj, Kalchini, Birpara and Banerhat where their count is considerably low. People of these areas are, therefore, more anxious and are spending sleepless nights waiting for the Shyamal Sen committee to submit its report to the government.
"Our future depends on the report. We know if these areas are given to GTA, some day or the other we will have to find some other place to stay. We banked upon the tribals for resisting the GJM. But now even they are divided," said Bablu Sarkar of Hamiltonganj. "It is the bitter truth that you cannot fight for long against the state. If these places are included under GTA, GJM people will enjoy all the powers. Naturally, we will be easy preys since we will be the minority," said Pratap, a youth from Banerhat.
While GJM has made it clear that they won't go for elections unless the 398 mouzas are included under the GTA, ABAVP, Kamtapur People's Party and other Bengali chauvinist groups like Jana Jagaran have announced that they would not allow an inch of land to be given away. This section has already called a two-day strike starting from April 6 opposing the GTA Bill.
All eyes are thus fixed on the recommendations of the high-power committee. "The report will either suggest inclusion of parts of Dooars and Terai in the GTA, or rule it out. There will be unrest in any case," a Congress leader said.
With the diverse population standing divided, chief minister Mamata Banerjee's greatest challenge will be to convince both the parties and bring them into an understanding.
TOI
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