Subramanian Swamy bats for Gorkhaland, meets Gorkha Janmukti Morcha members

BJP MP Subramanian Swamy on Monday met with a delegation from the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM).
Swamy who had repeatedly reiterated his determination to ensure the formation of a separate 'Union Territory of Gorkhaland' on Monday said that he would not give up till the creation of a separate territory became a reality.

For the uninitiated, Gorkhaland is a region in the northern part of West Bengal. It is administered by the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, semi-autonomous body.
The Gorkhaland movement seeks the creation of a separate state in this region, consisting of the hilly terrain of Darjeeling, as well as the Kalimpong and Dooars areas.

"A delegation of Gorkhas from Darjeeling came visiting to thank me for supporting their just cause. Gorkhas have sacrificed their Darjeeling seat thrice for BJP since 2009. In 2019 they proposed my name but I had 3 years in RS left so said no," he wrote on Twitter after the meeting.
 

 

According to a News 18 report, the delegation included senior leader Lopsung Lama and Nari Morcha leader Urmila Rumba.
The Rajya Sabha MP reiterated that Gorkhaland should be made an Union Territory.
"I have already said that ‘Gorkhaland’ as a separate UT is a demand that we have promised to you. We have three Lok Sabha seats out of you,” the [ublication quoted him as saying.
He however added that he could not say how long it would take. Citiing the example of Uttarakhand he said that people there too had asked him a similar question.

"Former UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav said he will not agree...We made him agree,” Swamy said.
He added that he was committed to the formation of Gorkhaland and would not give up till it had been attained.

Earlier, on February 11, Swamy had taken to Twitter to state that it was time for the BJP to start looking at the party's "organisational culture".
Stating that it was a "top priority" he said that the government must make it an UT "as promised".

Responding to comments that did not quite agree with him, Swamy added that "in UP we suddenly talked of Uttarakhand; in Bihar of Jharkhand, in M.P. of Chhatisgarh".
"The BJP kept its promise there. In WB we need to do the same, and in the national interest," he added.
"Why Bengal should be so possessive?" he asked another user.
 

 

Swamy's support for the Gorkha movement is not new.
In 2017 for example, Swamy had taken to Twitter to "urge Hindus of Bengal to agree to Gorkhaland in the larger interest of Hindutva and combating appeasement in WB".

BJP leaders in West Bengal, while supporting to the idea of a separate territory, have remained largely non-commital when it comes to the creation of a separate state.
The party's 2019 poll manifesto for example had promised to "work towards finding a permanent political solution" for the area.

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