Gorkha League slams GJM for unleashing terror
Posted by barunroy on September 18, 2008
FROM INDIAN EXPRESS
Darjeeling, September 17 The All India Gorkha League – the oldest Gorkha party that was formed in 1943 – has accused the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha of employing strong-arm tactics. Considered to be the most outspoken voice of Darjeeling, the League’s president Madan Tamang said the GJM’s bullying tactics have pushed his party into political oblivion.
“We wanted to hold a rally two months ago, but couldn’t because the GJM activists had threatened our members,” he said.
He further added, “The Morcha cadres are coercing and intimidating the masses. It’s almost like the era of the Gorkha National Liberation Front, when my house was set on fire.” After being pushed out of the Gorkhaland politics in 1980s by the Subhas Ghising-led GNLF, the League had hoped to regain its base after Ghising’s downfall. But the GJM recent violent protest had taken the centre stage, pushing the League again to the periphery.
After participating in the tripartite talks involving the Centre and the West Bengal government in New Delhi, the GJM leaders are now organising several public meetings in the Hills to garner support for its movement.
Tamang, however, dismissed the tripartite talks by terming it nonsense. He claimed that the government had given undue importance to both the GNLF and the GJM. “Earlier, the government allowed Ghising to indulge in corruption while running the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council. Now, Gurung has come to the fore,” he said.
The demand for a separate Gorkhaland, claimed Tamang, was first raised in 1980s under the auspices of the League by the Prantha Parishad, of which he was a founding member. “Our League became the victim of politics and we were marginalised by the Bengali community,” he said.
He accused the state of ignoring the aspirations of the local residents. “The Municipal elections haven’t been held here in the last 14 years and the DGHC elections in eight years.”
While he admitted that the demand for a separate state was legitimate, he rejected the methods adopted for it by the Morcha. “The GJM’s ongoing non-cooperation movement is extremely selective. While the GJM has rejected several initiatives of the government, the Morcha continue to follow the Bengal Municipal Act, the DGHC Act and the Panchayat Act.”
He claimed that the administration is losing nearly Rs 10 crore of revenue per month due to the Morcha’s tactics,. “Yet, the government does not involve other parties in the talks and concentrates only on the GJM,” said Tamang.
Sailendra Pradhan said
Madan Tamang has stopped making any sense at all. He wouldn’t want to confront GJM on any level – political or ideological and when ABGL is forced into oblivion due to their own fear and inactivity all Madan Tamang can do as always is play the ‘Blame Game’
raja lama said
why don’t both the leaders have a direct table talk and sort thing out….
Darjeeling is a small town after all…And both speak the same language…
jytmkh said
Is Madan Tamang against Home rule? So what if state loses its revenue and this is what GJM is trying to do and it is successful. No matter what Madan Tamang says it is like tintin in the blog glotting over “foreign” issue. Nobody cares what he says because he knows only to say not to act.
kalidash said
tamang is becoming more and more nonsense of late.neither can he do anything nor can see anybody doing.he and lakshman pradhan are so obsessed of themselves being intellectuals and smarter than fellow Gorkhas.but the reality is this duo is the most hopeless and worthless politicians darjeeling has ever seen.infact they are not politicians but critics.
if the league wants GL than why the hell is tamang bothered about DGHC elections?
its a tragedy that one of the oldest political party in the hills has become a bullshit.
aardee said
All India Gorkha League finally wakes up!!! Thank heavens!
aardee said
To maintain a healthy balance there must be an opposition strong enough to counter any movement from becoming dictatorial.
If the Gorkha League is a representative body then I am glad they are there and they are voicing their opinion. GJM does need to be reminded they are under public scrutiny.
forgorkhaland said
Madan Tamang’s only good to be in the opposition.
Seldom does his deeds match his words.
He’s all for newsbite!
He has good oratory skill, and seems well informed. But hardly any skill to be our leader. Seem’s too immersed with himself.
R.B. Rai of CPRM is a much widely respected opposition leader even among his rivals.Gotta good record as a politician.
Before GNLF/CPI(M), Darjeeling was AIGL’s territory.
Khai ke chai layo? Mero saral prashna cha hazurlai?
forgorkhaland said
MT vessel sounds much!
How many villages has he been to, addressing his plans and policies to the people?
People had been fed with the GNLF and were seeking for a change. Why did they not choose the so callde GORKHA PARTY of MT?Why?…
MT only wants for himself? For him to be a Gorkha Icon? …Bullshit.
Yonze said
Nice to see opposition working in Darjeeling. This is the right of democracy even if a nonsense tries making sense. Freedom of speech you know—– others it’s for the public to decide, whether to let the right ones out or the wrong ones in. I’m happy – theory of checks and balance applied.