Gorkhaland movement gathers momentum

The Gorkhaland movement in the north-eastern Darjeeling district of Indian state of West Bengal is in full bloom again, reminding residents of this hilly terrain of the bloody struggle for a separate Gorkha state within the Indian union that reached its peak some two decades back only to be brutally crushed by Indian paramilitary troops.

Normal life in Darjeeling and the surrounding places including Siliguri, which has a large number of Nepali speaking residents has been crippled by the indefinite strike called by the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) in the area demanding "separate statehood within India' since Monday.

"The bandh has been extended to highlight our demand for a separate state comprising Darjeeling hills and areas contiguous to it," GJM president Bimal Gurung was quoted as saying by Indian dailies.

"Tourists in the hills should leave by tonight. In case they cannot, we shall provide them a helpline to do so by Tuesday," he said.

The bandh would be observed in the Terai and Dooars regions of north Bengal from Tuesday, the report said.

Gurung said that Monday's total bandh was in protest against the attack on GJM supporters by those belonging to organisations backed by the Communist Party of India(Marxist) in the Bagdogra area near Siliguri.

Reports coming out from Darjeeling have it that the indefinite strike has badly affected transportation in the district, while educational institutions, factories, businesses also remained closed.

GJM's general secretary Roshan Giri said that they have plans to stage hunger strike in various places in Siliguri to protest against the attack. Siliguri has seen maximum number of skirmishes between Nepali speakers who symphathize with the movement and Bengali speaking political cadres who are against Darjeeling separating from West Bengal to form a separate Gorkhaland state.

Siliguri has, apart from Nepali speakers, a large number of Bengali people who view the Gorkhaland movement as a conspiracy to "disintegrate" West Bengal.

Gorkha leaders including those of GJM had earlier rejected talks offer from West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, saying that the main issue of a separate state was not on the agenda.

As the Gorkhas in Darjeeling hills and neighbouring areas intensify for a separate Gorkha state, Bhattacharjee, in a letter to GJM chief Bimal Gurung, had invited him and his colleagues "to discuss measures needed to restore normalcy and speed up development work" in the Darjeeling hills.

However, GJM leaders argue that the demand for Gorkhaland is a political issue and the offer to discuss development of the Darjeeling hills was irrelevant, calling for a tripartite talks with the Centre and GJM representatives with the agenda for talks being solely Gorkhaland.

The state government, however, remains adamant on its stance, saying that it is ready for talks on issues other than the demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland. Reports also say the ruling communist party has used its party cadres to suppress the Gorkhaland movement.

The state government has kept paramilitary forces on high alert for possible deployment to crush the movement of Gorkhas for separate state. nepalnews.com ag June 17 08

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