Writes Jyoti Kumar Mukhia
Few days back, to be precise on Monday 14th September,2015 Ms Mamta Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal laid the foundation for Presidency University Campus at Dawhill Kurseong in the absence of GTA functionaries and even the local MLA. GJM made a hue and cry of the issue. Bimal Gurung declared that GJM will ignite once again the movement for the separate state of Gorkhaland which will be democratic, centre centric taking the cue from the formation of Telangana state by UPA. He also said that NDA, especially BJPis in favor of forming Gorkhaland. Secondly he emphasized that GJM will remain in power for 25 years out of which 7 years has been covered.
It reminds me of the political tactics of his mentor Subash Ghising who used the same tactics of threatening state govt when CPM govt used to ungli his activities. Bimal ji, threat do not yield desired result in the long run. If your threat is genuine then genuine action should follow. Lets see on 18th whether 3 MLAs will resign or not and what drama will follow.
But what is the larger picture of the current scenario and what does it mean to people in GTA?
Mamta Govt or the entire political parties in Bengal do not want breaking of Bengal state irrespective of its legality or not. They speak in the same voice. Bengal BJP proposed formation of North Bengal state comprising of few districts in north Bengal. MGorkhalandamta on her power and as a strategy is trying to lure the hill population by dividing its population on caste basis and forming rampantly caste based development board without the actual participation of GTA. One day ahead of Mamta’s visit to Kurseong Khas jati (Chettris and bahuns) organized a rally demanding their inclusion as scheduled tribes. Will she consider this demand too?
Secondly, GTA is demanding central university but she under her power laid the foundation for presidency university campus. Central govt now has alibi not to establish central university in Darjeeling hills.
Thirdly, as per the tripartite agreement many departments needed to be transferred from West Bengal govt to GTA and GTA should be given free hand to function and utilize the allocated budget. Mamta govt has been interfering in almost all matters , take the example of appointment of Lepcha para teachers in the schools under GTA. Bimal Gurung says allocated fund has not been transferred to GTA and GTA is being run through central assistance. There is an increased and unnecessary interference of state govt in function GTA. Actually, GTA has two heads in the form of Bimal Gurung and DM.
By forming various caste based development board which are like mini NGOs under the chief minister’s office, Mamta Govt to some extent is successful in dividing the masses in the hills. She has not touched minorities (Christians and Muslims) yet. Is it because they are negligible or not the vote bank? I am astonished how we people have evolved in the hills. The hill people or Gorkhas were never caste conscious people. This evolution of caste based division is the new poison poured in the minds of people. This will have a greater impact in the culture, religion, social function of the hill people. Inter caste, inter religious marriages are a norm in the hills. This division will distort the very fabric of our peace and unity. I see a day in the hills where a Khap Panchayat type of situation will prevail. This day in the rural areas people fight for land and water but a day will come where people will kill each other and parents will not allow their son or daughter to marry other caste and religion people who do not get development facilities constituted by the Mamta govt. Are you envisioning this distorted future of our society?
Both GJM and Mamta talks about the development of the hill (GTA). But the entire discourse of development in the hills is missing? Yes, infrastructure development is taking place in some places but what about the employment? One will hardly find an educated youth in the hills. They have migrated to the bigger cities and Nepal in search of their livelihood. What is the plan of WB govt and GTA for the youths? The agriculture in the hill has stagnated. 40% of the hill comes under villages where the main stay of people is agriculture and livestock. What is happening for the development of agriculture and livestock in the hills? What is GTA and WB govt doing for the economic development of the farmers and others?
Hydro projects in the Teesta river basins are being constructed and more hydro projects are in the pipelines. But has anyone given a thought that due to these projects villages are washed out or at the verge of washing out? Is this development?
Tea garden is another peril area. While going to Siliguri in the morning one will find vehicles carrying labourers from the plains to the tea gardens in the hills. What happened to the garden workers in the hills? Why are gardens not able to find sufficient workers in the hills for its gardens? A day will soon come when the hill tea gardens will be filled by the workers from Jharkhand and plains. Is GJM listening to it? Learn from Manipur, how they are protecting the future of Manipuris.
Then again the question arises, is development really happening in GTA area? Construction of roads and bridges are not development per se but a part of development. For the hill to flourish, development in the area of health, economy of masses, market development, agriculture and livestock, education also need to be taken on account. I don’t see overall development taking place under GTA. As Bimal Gurung has at last accepted that GTA is a failure. Yes it is a failure, GTA is formed with the framework of development. Mamta wanted GTA to function as one of her departments and she did try and was successful in implementing her strategy. Politically, it is a success for GJM because they are able to remain in power without opposition. But for the people of Darjeeling hills it is a BIG failure politically and developmentally. For the people success should be in both fronts. We want development and political identity. GTA and Bengal govt failed to give us both. Mamta has tactfully diverted the minds of people from Gorkhaland to development but without tangible result. She has been successful in her objective that Darjeeling needs development. And we the people of hills are running after the illusory cake to get my share forgetting that the entire oven of the cake is lying somewhere.
If failure has doomed the future of the hills then what is the way out? The answer is simple GORKHALAND. The issue is not why Gorkhaland but how of it.
Dismantling of GTA may not be the wise suggestion but make it non-functional as far as state govt is concerned. GTA should stop accepting and implementing state govt sponsored activities under GTA. Instead bring more and more funds from central govt where GJM is an ally.
Second, movement requires one voice, single agenda. Let the single agenda be formation of Gorkhaland. Third, it is not sufficient for the leaders of the movement or party leading the movement to bring under its fold only the party people. The reality of the hills is there are many political parties and people affiliate themselves with various parties. GJM forgetting all differences should bring other parties under one umbrella and involve them actively for the movement for Gorkhaland without forcing them to join GJM. Once the state is formed you can have political fight under your own banner and flag. Here the importance should be given to the cause and not the party. Learn from the gathnadhan of Lalu and Nitish in Bihar.
Fourth, it is not wise to depend only on BJP for they have nothing to gain or lose in Bengal. Therefore selling the idea of Gorkhaland to other political parties is a must. The difficult task is lobbying with other major parties in the centre. It is the parties in the centre who will vote for or against the formation of Gorkhaland. It is here movement leaders can use the caste strategy to gain support from Bihar, Rajasthan, UP etc.
Fifth, Armed struggle of the 80s was a failure. Never commit the same mistake.
Lastly, Students movement of Bihar, Arab Spring, Janlokpal movement are the learning laboratory for the movement for Gorkhaland. Above all the most important aspect for the movement is bringing all political parties under one banner, the banner of Gorkhaland. Once the common banner is established, Mamta’s development board, caste based division will fall apart. She can never be successful in dividing political parties whose single agenda is Gorkhaland.
Few days back, to be precise on Monday 14th September,2015 Ms Mamta Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal laid the foundation for Presidency University Campus at Dawhill Kurseong in the absence of GTA functionaries and even the local MLA. GJM made a hue and cry of the issue. Bimal Gurung declared that GJM will ignite once again the movement for the separate state of Gorkhaland which will be democratic, centre centric taking the cue from the formation of Telangana state by UPA. He also said that NDA, especially BJPis in favor of forming Gorkhaland. Secondly he emphasized that GJM will remain in power for 25 years out of which 7 years has been covered.
It reminds me of the political tactics of his mentor Subash Ghising who used the same tactics of threatening state govt when CPM govt used to ungli his activities. Bimal ji, threat do not yield desired result in the long run. If your threat is genuine then genuine action should follow. Lets see on 18th whether 3 MLAs will resign or not and what drama will follow.
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| The political mess, the hills and the Gorkhaland movement |
Mamta Govt or the entire political parties in Bengal do not want breaking of Bengal state irrespective of its legality or not. They speak in the same voice. Bengal BJP proposed formation of North Bengal state comprising of few districts in north Bengal. MGorkhalandamta on her power and as a strategy is trying to lure the hill population by dividing its population on caste basis and forming rampantly caste based development board without the actual participation of GTA. One day ahead of Mamta’s visit to Kurseong Khas jati (Chettris and bahuns) organized a rally demanding their inclusion as scheduled tribes. Will she consider this demand too?
Secondly, GTA is demanding central university but she under her power laid the foundation for presidency university campus. Central govt now has alibi not to establish central university in Darjeeling hills.
Thirdly, as per the tripartite agreement many departments needed to be transferred from West Bengal govt to GTA and GTA should be given free hand to function and utilize the allocated budget. Mamta govt has been interfering in almost all matters , take the example of appointment of Lepcha para teachers in the schools under GTA. Bimal Gurung says allocated fund has not been transferred to GTA and GTA is being run through central assistance. There is an increased and unnecessary interference of state govt in function GTA. Actually, GTA has two heads in the form of Bimal Gurung and DM.
By forming various caste based development board which are like mini NGOs under the chief minister’s office, Mamta Govt to some extent is successful in dividing the masses in the hills. She has not touched minorities (Christians and Muslims) yet. Is it because they are negligible or not the vote bank? I am astonished how we people have evolved in the hills. The hill people or Gorkhas were never caste conscious people. This evolution of caste based division is the new poison poured in the minds of people. This will have a greater impact in the culture, religion, social function of the hill people. Inter caste, inter religious marriages are a norm in the hills. This division will distort the very fabric of our peace and unity. I see a day in the hills where a Khap Panchayat type of situation will prevail. This day in the rural areas people fight for land and water but a day will come where people will kill each other and parents will not allow their son or daughter to marry other caste and religion people who do not get development facilities constituted by the Mamta govt. Are you envisioning this distorted future of our society?
Both GJM and Mamta talks about the development of the hill (GTA). But the entire discourse of development in the hills is missing? Yes, infrastructure development is taking place in some places but what about the employment? One will hardly find an educated youth in the hills. They have migrated to the bigger cities and Nepal in search of their livelihood. What is the plan of WB govt and GTA for the youths? The agriculture in the hill has stagnated. 40% of the hill comes under villages where the main stay of people is agriculture and livestock. What is happening for the development of agriculture and livestock in the hills? What is GTA and WB govt doing for the economic development of the farmers and others?
Hydro projects in the Teesta river basins are being constructed and more hydro projects are in the pipelines. But has anyone given a thought that due to these projects villages are washed out or at the verge of washing out? Is this development?
Tea garden is another peril area. While going to Siliguri in the morning one will find vehicles carrying labourers from the plains to the tea gardens in the hills. What happened to the garden workers in the hills? Why are gardens not able to find sufficient workers in the hills for its gardens? A day will soon come when the hill tea gardens will be filled by the workers from Jharkhand and plains. Is GJM listening to it? Learn from Manipur, how they are protecting the future of Manipuris.
Then again the question arises, is development really happening in GTA area? Construction of roads and bridges are not development per se but a part of development. For the hill to flourish, development in the area of health, economy of masses, market development, agriculture and livestock, education also need to be taken on account. I don’t see overall development taking place under GTA. As Bimal Gurung has at last accepted that GTA is a failure. Yes it is a failure, GTA is formed with the framework of development. Mamta wanted GTA to function as one of her departments and she did try and was successful in implementing her strategy. Politically, it is a success for GJM because they are able to remain in power without opposition. But for the people of Darjeeling hills it is a BIG failure politically and developmentally. For the people success should be in both fronts. We want development and political identity. GTA and Bengal govt failed to give us both. Mamta has tactfully diverted the minds of people from Gorkhaland to development but without tangible result. She has been successful in her objective that Darjeeling needs development. And we the people of hills are running after the illusory cake to get my share forgetting that the entire oven of the cake is lying somewhere.
If failure has doomed the future of the hills then what is the way out? The answer is simple GORKHALAND. The issue is not why Gorkhaland but how of it.
Dismantling of GTA may not be the wise suggestion but make it non-functional as far as state govt is concerned. GTA should stop accepting and implementing state govt sponsored activities under GTA. Instead bring more and more funds from central govt where GJM is an ally.
Second, movement requires one voice, single agenda. Let the single agenda be formation of Gorkhaland. Third, it is not sufficient for the leaders of the movement or party leading the movement to bring under its fold only the party people. The reality of the hills is there are many political parties and people affiliate themselves with various parties. GJM forgetting all differences should bring other parties under one umbrella and involve them actively for the movement for Gorkhaland without forcing them to join GJM. Once the state is formed you can have political fight under your own banner and flag. Here the importance should be given to the cause and not the party. Learn from the gathnadhan of Lalu and Nitish in Bihar.
Fourth, it is not wise to depend only on BJP for they have nothing to gain or lose in Bengal. Therefore selling the idea of Gorkhaland to other political parties is a must. The difficult task is lobbying with other major parties in the centre. It is the parties in the centre who will vote for or against the formation of Gorkhaland. It is here movement leaders can use the caste strategy to gain support from Bihar, Rajasthan, UP etc.
Fifth, Armed struggle of the 80s was a failure. Never commit the same mistake.
Lastly, Students movement of Bihar, Arab Spring, Janlokpal movement are the learning laboratory for the movement for Gorkhaland. Above all the most important aspect for the movement is bringing all political parties under one banner, the banner of Gorkhaland. Once the common banner is established, Mamta’s development board, caste based division will fall apart. She can never be successful in dividing political parties whose single agenda is Gorkhaland.
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