A six-member delegation of the agitating Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) is set to arrive in the Indian capital, New Delhi, on Friday to hold fresh dialogues with senior leaders of the ruling and opposition parties. GJM has announced a series of protest programs starting Saturday. [break]
“There will be an indefinite strike from Saturday,” Secretary-General of GJM Roshan Giri told Republica from Darjeeling on Thursday. “If there can be Telangana, why not Gorkhaland, given that this is the oldest demand for separate statehood in India? We want immediate formation of Gorkhaland,” Giri said.
Soon after the announcement of Telengana, which is to be carved out of the present-day Andhra Pradesh, GJM said it wants to separate from West Bengal for the sake of identity of Indian Gorkhas and all-round development. Giri said Gorkhaland is lagging behind in terms of development because of the bad treatment meted out by the Mamata Banerjee-led government of West Bengal.
Banerjee, on her part, has rejected such a proposal claiming that Darjeeling will never be sliced out of Bengal. She was quoted by Indian media as saying, “It (Darjeeling) has a role in maintaining peace in the country.”
The announcement of Telanaga is said to have fueled expectations amongst the Nepali speaking Gorkhalis of India. Giri said the biggest lesson from Telangana was that the Telangana supporters were firm on their demand unlike Gorkhalis who settled for a development council.
Manoj Shankar, head of Delhi/NCR chapter of GJM said, “All Gorkhalis living in India must now be united. Separate statehood is our constitutional right.”
Pointing at the contribution made by Gorkhalis in India´s development, Shankar said, “Our demand is 108 years old. A separate state will give all Indian Gorkhas a sense of security.”
Besides Gorkhaland, other demands from separatist groups too have resurfaced. The demands include carving out Vidarbha from Maharastra; Bodoland from Assam and Nagalim from North-Eastern region, among others.
India´s top leaders across party-lines have come out in support of smaller states. Uttar Pradesh leader Mayawati of the Bahujan Samajwadi Party has reiterated her demand for dividing UP into four parts. Other leaders like BJP´s Uma Bharati, Union Rural development Minister Jairam Ramesh and even UPA´s ally RJD leaders and NCP leaders have shown solidarity with separatist groups.
Opposition BJP has demanded a second states reorganization commission to settle the issue.
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