I will not betray the cause: Gurung – Morcha wants teachers on ‘fight’ front
Posted by barunroy on June 28, 2008
FROM THE TELEGRAPH
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Darjeeling, June 27: The president of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, Bimal Gurung, wants the “intellect” of hill teachers to be one of the engines that will drive forward the movement for a separate state.
During his first ever interaction with teachers from across the hills at Gymkhana Club here today, Gurung said it was time for “intellectuals” to “contribute in every possible way”.
“There are many who are learned and well educated, but intellectuals are those people who can understand the feelings of the common people and help them achieve their goals,” the Morcha chief said, before reiterating that he was “101 per cent confident of attaining statehood”.
“The separate state is for our coming generation,” said Gurung, whose followers have used the same argument to justify the participation of students in the Gorkhaland movement. Batches of seven school students will continue to be on a relay hunger strike in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong and Mirik till July 5, when the Morcha’s indefinite shutdown resumes in the hills.
“I am totally committed to the cause and am not interested in the sops that are being offered by the Bengal government. I still believe that Gorkhaland will be a reality by March 2010. I am not interested in any kind of talks other than Gorkhaland,” Gurung added.
The leader asked the teachers, some of whom had come from Kalimpong, Kurseong and other parts of Darjeeling, to lend their “intellect” to improve the next generation.
“I will not betray the cause and will not tolerate any leader from my party betraying it either,” Gurung told the gathering.
The leader also took a dig at the earlier politicians from the hills and said they had used the demand for Gorkhaland only to garner votes. “What has happened for so long? Everyone has compromised, but this will not be repeated again. I have promised that I will not rest till we achieve Gorkhaland,” he said.
Gurung also encouraged the people to carry on defying government rules, by changing car number plates from WB (for West Bengal) to GL (Gorkhaland) and refusing to pay taxes. “This is our style of protesting and fighting our battle in a democratic manner. Everyone has the right to protest through non-cooperation,” he said.
D.K. Pradhan, a central committee member of the Morcha, reminded the gathering that the battle for Gorkhaland was not going to be easy.
“This divorce case with Bengal is not easy. It is not an ex-parte hearing and the case is heavily loaded against us. Everyone must contribute in this fight, but the emotions we are witnessing among the people is unbelievable,” Pradhan said.
The central committee member added that this movement for a separate state should be different from the Gorkhaland agitation of the eighties. “Then we had a lot of fence sitters. We also had our own people fighting against each other, but this time I see that everyone has come together and this is the way forward.”
jharna said
the teachers are more than willing to contribute towards the cause of Gorkhaland.they know exactly how the children especially of the hills are deprived in terms of good universities, job opportunities and so on . but i want to say that the teachers working in private schools are not as free to do as they want compared to govt school teachers. they have to slog for almost 8 hours everyday and go to school on saturdays, their holidays get curtailed and by the end of the day, they are fagged out. i just wanted to ask Shri Bimal Gurung, what has he thought about the plight of the private school teachers ?
pemsang_d said
BETRAYERS ALL : NEW LEADERSHIP NEEDED
These are the same people who have betrayed the cause of the hill people. After enjoying power and making a fortune in the name of the hill people alongwith Ghesing for twenty years in DGHC, now GJM wants us to believe that they would not betray again. How can we take their word.
We are fed up with terror tactics and intimidation of the GJM goons. They are forcing people in the hills to support their party. The peopel who are moving about in the name of gorkhaland are the same people who earlier terrorised the people under the banner of GNLF.
These henchmen benefitted under Subhas Ghesing who lorded over the DGHC and made personal fortunes. They have now broken away from Ghesing over their personal ambitions. Simply by changing the name to GJM does not absolve them of the crimes of financial improprity committed by them under the twenty year misrule of Ghesing, and most important the betrayal of the people by these elements.
There should be white paper on the financial dealings of the DGHC and all those who made ffortunes in the name of the hill people should be brought to justice. As for the seperate state demand, that is our right which cannot be taken away. But we do not want uneducated, criminal, henchmen to have anything to do with it. We want educated leadership with clean record.
YK Shrestha said
Agree with you here!!
JTM said
Take a look at Parliament is session today and see how many politicians are behaving in a civilized manner
JTM said
If they can behave like this in the Parliament, imagine what they do in their constituencies.
JTM said
The Gorkhaland movement picked up momentum under BG. Unless we have alternative leaders who can pick up the bastion, the movement will lose its fizz. And there are millions waiting just for that to happen. I am sorry to hear about the problems
RAJA said
Hi friends,
what’s the news of our GOVT?? Is voting episode over??
J T M said
For those who watched the proceedings in parliament, hope have realised the kinds of ministers in India. BG is mild compared to them
aardee said
BG is big on words and good at wooing people to join GJM…but does he LISTEN? That is the million $ question!
Pemsang_D said
The recent acts violence of the GJM aginst its former partners in the GNLF sets at rest all doubt about the real agenda of the GJM. The GJM basically wants power to be consolidated in its hands and does not believe in democracy.
These power hungry people masquerading as leaders of the hill people and their goondas are supposed to provide leadership to the proposed new seperate state. We should beware of such elements before they grow big.
The hill people certainly deserve better than such criminals and lumpens.
r tamu said
Hi, Bimal JI
Keepitup , you r the chozen one. you can achieve Gorkhaland sooner than later. we all behind you
jaya gorkhaland.
God bless you Bimal