GJM chief hints of discarding GTA | GJM warns of violent agitation

Renowned poet Bhupi Sherchen has compared the creation of a new state with the beginning of a new dawn in one of his poems but this has not come to pass as yet. The Gorkhas have given up their lives time and again for the country’s sake but the vision of Gorkhaland remains but a dream in the minds of many. This was the underlying theme on the occasion of Sahid Diwas at Kalimpong’s Sahid Park in 11 Mile.
The martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the violent agitation of 1987 led by the Gorkha National Liberation Front and the second agitation in 2007 under the stewardship of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha were paid rich tributes today at the Sahid Park where several GJM leaders, including party chief Bimal Gurung, were in attendance. The programme was followed by slogans in demand of a Gorkhaland state.
Addressing the gathering after honouring the family members of the martyrs, Gurung noted that amid a situation where talks for forming a Telengana state are ongoing at the centre, the Gorkha Territorial Administration may be discarded soon. He said he has realised Gorkhaland is not possible through the GTA and sees a revolt as the only option left even as he appealed to all political parties in the Hills to support him.
The GJM chief also talked of starting a violent movement going forward where leaders may need to sacrifice their lives.
He said, “The martyrs’ cry before me today from their memorial and the place echoes with slogans of Gorkhaland,” while warning the agitation for Gorkhaland may take any shape and leaders need to be ready to shed their blood.
Gurung further said the new agitation could cost more than 1,200 lives. “The time to reject the GTA has come. I can hear the martyrs screaming ‘We want Gorkhland’ from here,” he said. (EOIC)

GJM warns of violent agitation

Following pressure from its affiliate units to scrap the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), the hard-pressed Gorkha Janmukti Morcha central leadership today warned off an intensified agitation for a separate state.
The GJM leadership even gave indications that this time the agitation could be violent in nature and asked people to brace for hardships in the coming days.
Speaking on the occasion of Sahid Diwas in Darjeeling, GJM assistant secretary Binay Tamang said, “This time the agitation will not be restricted to silent rallies and candle processions. I have a feeling it (agitation) could take any turn. We are ready to shed our blood if needed.”
In the four years of its agitation, the GJM had followed the Gandhian principle of non-violence - even though five of its supporters died facing the bullet and rally participants comprising former army men lathicharged by the police in Siliguri.
Of late, the youth and student fronts have been pressurising the GJM central leadership to give up the GTA and start a fresh agitation for a Gorkhaland state. The move comes in the wake of the central government hinting at forming a Telengana state. The core committee of the Congress party has already given the task of taking the decision on Telengana to the Congress Working Committee.
GJM leaders led by party general secretary Roshan Giri had camped in Delhi recently to meet senior national-level leaders and ministers to garner support for the Gorkhaland demand. The delegation also met the 42 members of the CWC and submitted a deputation urging they deliberate on Gorkhaland along with Telengana.
The GJM general secretary has also issued a warning to Delhi that creating Telengana without Gorkhaland would invite unprecedented trouble in the Hills.
Meanwhile, Tamang in his speech also had a word for the Opposition who has been leveling betrayal charges on the GJM for accepting the GTA and forsaking the Gorkhaland demand.  “Harping on Gorkhaland in the newspapers is not enough. Time has come for the Opposition to practice what they preach. Let us see what they do when we start the agitation,” said the GJM assistant secretary.
Recounting the environment that had prevailed while accepting the GTA in July 2011, the GJM leader said times have changed now.  “The central government had then placed before us its inability to accept our demand for a separate state given the prevailing ‘non-conducive’ atmosphere. Honouring that request, we accepted the GTA but as a temporary measure only. In fact, the GTA agreement also clearly states the demand for Gorkhaland has not been dropped,” pointed out Tamang.
GTA deputy chief executive Col (Retd) Ramesh Allay, also a GJM central committee leader, urged the people to draw inspiration from the sacrifice of the martyrs and take forward the statehood agitation. “We must be inspired by the sacrifices of those who died for the Gorkhaland state cause. I want to say that ‘the point of no return’ has come as a resolution on Telengana will be taken any day soon,” asserted the senior GJM leader. (EOIC)