India is prospering, but Indians are not

Mr Mani Shankar Aiyar

 Preeti Mehra

 New Delhi, Nov. 8 The issues of rural India rarely find themselves vying for eyeballs in corporate drawing rooms. A few years ago, the mention of Panchayati Raj (PR) would evoke a yawn or a sneer from the country’s elite TV audience or at best, a routine capsule on it would be aired on Doordarshan. But today, even a hard core business channel such as Bloomberg UTV is beaming a talk show on the subject.

 And who else would fit the bill to anchor such a series but the former Panchayati Raj Minister, Mani Shankar Aiyar. Though currently out of office, his enthusiasm for the empowerment of local self-governments is still keeping him on his toes. Apart from anchoring the talk show, Aiyar has been travelling in districts in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Rajasthan sensitising and mobilising people under the Rajiv Gandhi Panchayati Raj Sangathan. He is also a frequent speaker on the subject in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the UAE and Singapore. “I wish the Government too made use of me,” he is frank enough to lament as he launches into his pet subject at his erudite best.

 Aiyar is thrilled that the concept of local self-governments is now reaching a desired audience through the TV show. “It has been the opening up of a new world to me by being allowed to come on the channel. And, I hope, I’ve opened a new world to corporate honchos who live, I’m afraid, in their India while most of their countrymen live in a really dreadful Bharat,” he says.

 On the show, he garners the opinions of personalities including Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Thomas Isaac, Finance Minister in the Kerala Government, Nandan Nilekani, Chairman of UIDAI,P. Sainath, journalist and elected representatives from zilla parishads and panchayats, at the same time arguing that the inclusive growth being promoted by the Government can never take place without inclusive governance and the keen involvement of the rural population.

 Inclusive growth

 “So, what is standing in the way?,” he asks and answers the question in the same breath, “….our administrators, political class, media, business world privilege accelerated growth over inclusive growth and the belief that the way to inclusive growth is through accelerated growth as this combined with tax reforms substantially increases government revenues… The fact of the matter is that outcomes have been derisive in relation to outlays because the same government that believes in inclusive governance prepares centrally sponsored schemes which are implemented entirely by the bureaucracy or their collaborators the NGOs, but without the deep and active involvement of the beneficiaries themselves.”

 The consequence, he points out, is that “we have over 100 mutually insulated silos delivering growth and welfare to the same set of beneficiaries. But, because of this, administrative costs go up hugely and convergence is not possible. That is the fundamental reason why Rajiv Gandhi, based on the single Planning Commission study of 1999, famously or infamously said that 85 paise in the rupee does not reach the poor.”

 Administration

 Aiyar goes on to explain that the current Planning Commission has come to a similar conclusion and puts the figure at 83 paise. “I think we can leave it to the experts to determine how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, but the fact of the matter is that 75 paise to 85 paise meant for welfare schemes is being absorbed by the administrative mechanism. I am not saying this is corruption, but just the system they have set up…” Instead, he advocates a systemic change in governance, where responsible administration replaces responsive governance.

Aiyar’s other concern that comes out loud and clear is that though anti-poverty central spending has increased from Rs 7,600 crore to Rs 1,25,000 crore between 1994 and now, India has retained more or less the same position on the Human Development Index. “The same people who are brushing under the carpet that our relative position on the HDI has not increased are the very same people who are boasting again in comparative terms that ours is the second highest rate of growth. So, obviously, the high GDP growth is not translating itself into commensurate high HDI growth, with the consequence India is prospering, but Indians are not,” he says.

 

By-poll result gives a fillip to Gorkhaland movement

Kolkata, Nov 11 (IANS) The victory of the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM)-backed independent candidate in West Bengal’s Kalchini assembly seat could fan the separatist movement in the northern part of the state, say political leaders and analysts.
Wilson Champamari, supported by the GJM, won Tuesday from the Kalchini assembly constituency in north Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district. The Adivasi Vikas Parishad (AVP) nominee finished second, leaving the more established political parties far behind.

State Public Works Department (PWD) minister and senior Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) leader Kshiti Goswami said Champamari’s victory would consolidate the movement for Gorkhaland and trigger demands for a separate Gorkha state from other parts as well.

“This electoral result will consolidate GJM’s movement for Gorkhaland. Earlier, their demand to include some areas of the plains to their Gorkhaland state was not justified democratically. But now, they will be able to substantiate it saying locals have voted in support of their call.

“So now on they will say people in Dooars also want a separate Gorkhaland state,” Goswami told IANS.

The constituency comprises a large number of tea gardens in the foothills of the Darjeeling Himalayas known as the Dooars.
Added Congress leader Manas Bhuinya: “The Kalchini result is a matter of concern. One should not sit complacent just because the Congress has suffered a loss in Kalchini. Tomorrow the conflict between the hills and the plains may reach whole of Jalpaiguri and the Dooars region. It may endanger the integrity of the whole Bengal.”

“The government should take rectification measures immediately,” the Congress state legislative party leader said.

The GJM was, of course, upbeat.

“The electoral result is for a Gorkhaland state. Thousands of people living in Terai have shown their support in favour of the Gorkhaland call,” GJM general secretary Roshan Giri told IANS.

“It’ll help us to take the Gorkhaland movement one step forward.”

The GJM has been spearheading the Gorkhaland agitation and has demanded inclusion of the Dooars into its proposed state. The GJM’s demand brought it into conflict with the AVP and the two groups have clashed several times over the past one year.

Political analysts agreed that the electoral result was “very significant”.

“The Kalchini result is very significant. An independent candidate winning from the Dooars with support from the GJM outfit is something to be taken note of,” political scientist Sabyasachi Basu Roychowdhury said.

“In the near or distant future there may be pressure on the present geographical and political boundary of the state (West Bengal).

Read more: http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/politics/by-poll-result-gives-a-fillip-to-gorkhaland-movement_100273019.html#ixzz0WYCbUUYl

BGP submits Gorkhaland memorandum to Mamta Banerjee

GANGTOK, October 30 (Media Cell Sikkim): Sikkim unit of Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh today morning submitted a representation on separate State Gorkhaland demand to Union Railways Minister and Trinamool Congress president Mamta Banerjee at Rangpo.Banerjee had arrived at Rangpo yesterday evening to participate in today’s foundation stone laying ceremony of the Rangpo-Sevoke rail project at Mining Ground, Rangpo.A four member team of Sikkim BGP led by president Dr Kamal Gurung met the Union Minister and submitted the memorandum along with documents related with the demand and the Indian Gorkhas prepared by BGP, the apex body of the 1.25 crore Indian Gorkhas. In response, Banerjee showed interest in the memorandum and assured to study the documents seriously. Dr. Gurung was accompanied by Sikkim BGP general secretary Somnath Pandey, BGP central committee member Prabin Khaling, treasurer Suman Pradhan and member Ganesh Chettri. It may be added here BGP has started a mission to sensitize Central leaders on the issue of Gorkhaland so as to the issue is deliberated on the national level. The mission had commenced from Sikkim with the State BGP unit submitting representations on Gorkhaland to visiting Central leaders. The unit has already submitted memorandums to Congress leader Luizinho Falerio and Gujurat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

Morcha starts slush clean-up

The “brown envelope”, which has been the talk of the hills for the past week, has finally started reaching Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leaders asking them to refrain from in any party activity.

The move, apparently aimed to cleanse the party of corruption, could also be one of the biggest tests for the Morcha. The outfit has sent notices, slipped inside brown envelopes, to at least one central committee member who has been with the Morcha since its inception on October 7, 2007.

“Brown envelope” was a term used by the British press to imply below-the-table transactions of slush money or information that politicians indulged in.

Even though Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri refused to divulge the names until the list was completed, sources said notices have been sent to Bimal Darjee, the convener of the party’s Tindharia-Sukna unit, who is also a central committee member. According to well-placed sources, notices have also gone to Sujan Rai and Saran Lama, both from Liza Hill unit, apart from Praveen Tuladhar of Kalimpong.

Darjee admitted that he has received the notice. “I got the letter on October 28 and I will obey the decision taken by the party president,” he said over the phone from Tindharia in Kurseong subdivision.

Morcha president Bimal Gurung, while addressing a public meeting in Darjeeling on October 25, had said he was aware of some leaders who had bought SUVs and were taking “pact-money” from contractors. The Morcha president had urged the people not to speak on behalf of these leaders and instead mark them out as those who were not sincere towards Gorkhaland.

Darjee, however, said he had always stood by his principles. “I have not bought cars or taken pact money (for contracts). Anyone can meet me for a clarification. I am not against the cause of Gorkhaland and its people either,” he said.

Darjee, however, said since no clarification was sought by the Morcha from him, he would not explain his stand to the party leadership on his own. “The letter states that I should no longer interfere with party activities in the Tindharia-Sukna area and also should not participate in the workings of the development committee of the Morcha,” said Darjee. Technically, Darjee has not been expelled from the party’s primary membership if one is to go by the content of the notice.

“In future, if Bimal Gurung thinks I should take up some party responsibilities, I will definitely shoulder them to the best of my abilities as I am always committed towards the cause of Gorkhaland,” said Darjee.

Analysts believe that the move to send the notices, virtually sidelining some of the leaders in the party, could be one of the biggest tests for the Morcha. “If the dissenters manage to influence a section in the Morcha, which has had intra-party squabblings in some areas, the party could face some troubled times,” said an analyst.

However, other observers believe that given the overwhelming support that the Morcha currently enjoys in the hills, the leaders against whom notices have been sent cannot be a major threat immediately. “In fact, the political careers of some of these leaders could be doomed,” another analyst said. (The Telegraph)

Morcha to close block offices in hills

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today announced that it would lock all the block development offices across the hills from November 7 even as the interlocutor for the talks involving the Centre, the state government and the party arrived here.

“However, we have decided to exempt those sections which deal with registration and issuing of birth and death certificates at the BDO offices from the agitation,” said Binay Tamang, the assistant general secretary of the Morcha.

The move is expected to paralyse administrative and development works in rural areas. Bimal Gurung, the president of the Morcha, had announced one week back that all panchayat offices would be closed indefinitely from November 7 as part of its non-co-operation movement.

The party has also decided to close down all the liquor offshops in the hills from the same date and asked business establishments to use the word “Gorkhaland” on their signboards.

Lt Gen. (retd) Vijay Madan, who had been appointed the interlocutor to look into the demands of the Morcha, arrived in Darjeeling yesterday.

The decision to appoint the interlocutor had been agreed to at the third rounds of talks among the Central and state governments and the Morcha in Delhi on August 11. The Union home ministry had announced Madan’s appointment on October 23.

According to sources, Roshan Giri, general secretary of the Morcha, along with the party’s central committee members Amar Lama and Asha Gurung, met Madan in Darjeeling last evening. “It was basically a courtesy call,” said a Morcha source.

A meeting between Gurung and Madan has been fixed at a Darjeeling hotel at 3pm tomorrow. “The meeting has been confirmed,” admitted Tamang.

Gurung is expected to reach Darjeeling late this evening after his five-day tour of Sandakphu-Rimbick. According to sources, Madan will be leaving Darjeeling on November 3. His visit is seen as a move to prepare the groundwork for the next tripartite meeting scheduled to be held in Darjeeling on December 21.

Gurung had already announced that he would intensify the agitation and impose “home rule and declare “Gorkhaland”, if the December talks were not fruitful.

The closure of the BDO offices is likely to affect the Central government’s 100-day work programme and projects like construction of roads.

The BDO offices look into every aspect of development in rural areas like the implementation of the Indira Awaas Yojna, under which houses are built for people below poverty line. (The Telegraph)

ROLE OF MEDIA IN GORKHALAND MOVEMENT

: Preksha Sharma

In terms of socio-cultural, educational and political upliftment, Indian Gorkhas are really orphan sin in Independent India. As the media is regarded as a friend and guide of the people and are also the custodian of the Human rights, the role of media in regional and national issue is really praiseworthy. The media rightly reported the clandestine deal of the State Govt and the Caretaker and/or Administrator of Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council. The various electronic media like Kolkata TV, ETV Bangla, and 24 Ghanta organized various panel discussions in the hills inviting diverse political parties, intelligentsia, and the common public highlighting the Sixth Schedule Bill. The issue started getting hotter and the media was successful in creating awareness amongst the people in Kolkata and elsewhere. Even Bengali intellectuals were invited for the panel discussions and panelists came out openly against the dubious role of the Government of West Bengal and caretaker administrator Subash Ghising. The panelist openly advocated the demand of Gorkhaland, citing it a constitutional demand as envisaged in Section 3(a) of the Indian Constitution.

A word of two must be mentioned about the Nandigram episode of 14th March 2007, carried and enacted with meticulous care and communistic precision had exposed nakedly to the world by the media.
Media has always taken up the cause of people and the role of Medias the fourth estate of the largest democracy of the world is evident from the reporting’s made by media on various matters.

In the last Gorkhaland movement of 1986, the media had projected the demand of the Indian Gorkhas a result of influence from the North East and Naxalite movement of the country on the people of West Bengal. The recent panel discussions in the electronic media on Gorkhaland and the identity crisis of the Indian Gorkhas proved to be an eye-opener to the bureaucrats at the centre and other who held the opinion that Indian Gorkhas are immigrants from neighboring countries to work in the tea gardens during 1850s’.

The media rightly remarked that in the evolution of nationality the essential ingredients, the territory, economic life, psychological aspect and cultural affinity are threaded to a thread of common language. But in spite of the language being a major factor for the formation of nationality it could not be the sole agent; nevertheless it is regarded as a dominant cause for cohesiveness. Because the Bengali language of Bangladesh and West Bengal of India is one and the same. But the Bengalese of West Bengal and Bangladesh having similarity of language and facial look, they are two distinct entities.
Media portrays Gorkhas as non Indians. The one who are leading the agitation for Gorkhaland are not making a secessionist demand, it is only a demand for the creation of another state which will give the Gorkhas equal rights to any other citizen in the country. People will know about the Gorkha identity. Since, there are very few Gorkha journalist, it makes difficult for them to write back to the stories published calling a Gorkha demand ‘A Secessionist ‘s Demand.”

The media has very little knowledge about Gorkhaland and either by default the ruling press in the hill have many Bengali employees’ who are attracted to their community. Therefore, they speak for West Bengal. Since the Gorkha journalists are outnumbered, for example in Delhi there are just eight to nine Gorkha journalists; it becomes difficult for them to put their point forward nationally. When a comparison is made between the eighties and now the media has become much more aware of the Gorkhaland demand for a state. Like in the eighties there was no one to reflect the true voice of Gorkhas. When a demand for a state was places which was very much with the constitution just like Telengana, Saurastra, Chhattisgarh and many more, the Gorkhas demand was called a secessionist demand and the Gorkhas has always protected the nation were called terrorist and extremist.

In the eighties the media and West Bengal did whatever they wanted to. Therefore, there was no reflection o f the actual voice of Indian Gorkhas. The agitation then was called a violent agitation but with a little probing into the context a conclusion can be drawn that violence is a part of every agitation. Example being the Uttarkhand and the Gujjar agiation.
Agitation against does have some violence but in the eighties this violence was termed as “Hills is Boiling”. That picturisation was very unfair. Media further portrayed it as people in Darjeeling are fighting against each other and this went un-contradicted due to the lack of media support in the demand for Gorkhaland.

Presently, TV channels and newspapers have understood the demand for Gorkhaland and there are stories to carry out like for example when Urban Development Minster, Govt. of West Bengal, Mr. Ashok Bhattacharya all the Indian Gorkahs as foreigner. He was made to apologize for his statement. Today, when there are ten series published against the Gorkha there are four stories which carry the Gorkha voice too. Even though it may not reach the whole masses but they do make a difference.

The media is instrumental in projecting the incessant stratagem employed by the West Bengal Government for causing weariness against the endeavor of getting the region separated from political, and administrative clutches of Bengal. The state of West Benal becomes the exploiter in this case wherein the social identity of Darjeeling inhabitants is subsumed at physical, emotional and economic levels. This identity crisis leads to aspirations of a separate territory. Identity crisis recognition therefore, has become political and assumed the nature and shape of a political movement. The aspiration towards statehood is thus seen as a validation of organized power group identity. This claim to specific territory marks the essence of nationalistic sentiment, therefore, marking the formation a state as gaining political identity. The attainment of this political identity can validate the Gorkha people’s desire for active participation in nation building and the overall concept of nationalism.
Media is divided into three different groups as per their attitude and approach towards the movement of the Gorkhas for a separate state of their own for their national acceptance and identification. The national media has always been guided by the misconception fed to them by the leaders from time to time. The central leaders of almost all the political parties of India are much prejudicial about their negligible knowledge about this brave community.

They are of the opinion that the Gorkhas are immigrants from the neighboring country Nepal. Most of them have come to earn their livelihood and out of the lot few of them have settled down in this country. They are loyal to Nepal and not to India.

The Indian leaders are completely ignorant about the past history of the Gorkhas and about their presence in India. They are also unaware of the contribution of the Gorkha community in the freedom movement of this country and in making and safeguarding of our motherland after independence.

Eventually they think that the Gorkhas have no rights for the formation of a separate state Gorkhaland in India. Their demand is illogical and illegitimate. The national media are influenced by this logic so they also nurture this concept and are never sincere to find out the reality of the issues. What they thought and wrote about Gorkhaland movement lacked reason and fact finding.
The second group is of the regional media which are always influenced by the regional and communal politics. They never acted independently. They never tried to comprehend the problems of Gorkhas in the county. The regional media appreciated the injustice done to the Gorkha movement. The local media comprising of vernacular press and local channels on the hand are also influenced by the local politics. It must be either their emotional attachment to the demand or the political coercion on them that they exaggerate thing in favor of the movement. They are also not ethical and true to their responsibility. Due to political pressure directly or indirectly they adopt a policy of appeasements and do not incline to write the negative aspect of the movement. Hence, as a whole media have failed to play their exact role towards Gorkhaland movement. But there has been a change in a scenario in the recent times for a number of reasons. The media have changed their attitude towards this movement due to following reasons:

1. The leaders of the movement in the second phase realized that the movement should have exposure in the national level and there should be a lobby in Delhi.
2. A number of journalists in the national papers in Delhi have been helping to enlighten the people of India about the background of the Gorkhas in India and their contribution towards this county.

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, has also centralized its activities in Delhi and has been endeavoring to give the leaders of the ruling and that of the opposition parties the true picture of the Gorkhas and the injustice done to them even after sixty years of independence. These exercises have certainly changed the concept of the national and regional media to some extent. They are now at least trying to understand the issues. This is undoubtly a positive change.
Most of the national leaders and the members of parliament have also been enlightened about the issues with supporting documents like Why Gorkhaland?
The movement is been given more coverage by the national papers and the channels. This is undoubtly a big plus point to the movement. If the medias without prejudice make people understand who the Gorkhas are, how they differ from the people of Nepal coming to India for different purposes the history of the area which the Gorkhas have been claiming to include in the proposed Gorkhaland the constitutional provision and economic viability of Gorkhaland, then it is believed the negative propaganda regarding the Gorkhas and Gorkhaland will have no footings. Therefore, the success and failure of this movement largely depends on the approach on the role of the media.
(Courtesy: Bishal Kirat Rai, New delhi)

GJM expresses satisfaction

The Hindu
KOLKATA: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leadership has expressed “satisfaction” with the outcome of the third round of tripartite talks held in New Delhi on Tuesday to end the political stalemate in the Darjeeling hills arising from the GJM demand for the creation of a Gorkhaland state.

“In the right direction”
“The results of the talks are a step in the right direction but the new administrative set-up for the region as proposed by the Centre will have to be a Gorkhaland State,” GJM general secretary Roshan Giri, told The Hindu on the phone from Darjeeling.
He was referring to reports from the capital that Union Home Secretary G. K. Pillai suggested an alternative set-up for the region that is to be finalised through mutual consultations and agreement between the parties concerned.
“The decision taken at the meeting to repeal the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) Act, 1988, to pave the way for an alternative administrative set-up is one that we have been demanding for a long time,” Mr. Giri said.
“It has also been agreed that the proposal for granting Sixth Schedule status to the Darjeeling Hills will be dropped. This was another one of our demands.”
The GJM called for a CBI probe into corruption cases during Subash Ghisingh’s (former DGHC chairman) tenure, Mr. Giri said.
A Central team will be visiting the hills to “study the ground realities.”

Darjeeling to have new administrative framework

The Times Of India
NEW DELHI: The Darjeeling Hill areas will soon have a new administrative set-up as the Centre on Tuesday decided to abolish the Darjeeling Gorkha
Hill Council (DGHC) — the body which has been involved in the affairs of the region for the last two decades.

Besides, the Centre also agreed to drop the existing proposal of the Gorkha Hill Council under the sixth schedule of the Constitution, which gives special status to certain areas in terms of administrative and functional autonomy.

The proposal — being opposed by the Bimal Gurung-led Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) — had been pending ever since the government introduced the concerned Bills in Parliament in 2007. The Bills were subsequently referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee which had also expressed reservation over the sixth schedule issue while asking the government to take the views of all concerned before taking any decision regarding the Darjeeling Hills area.

The decisions — interpreted as finally closing the chapter of Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) leader Subhas Ghising in favour of his detractor Bimal Gurung — were taken in a tripartite meeting held here among the Centre, West Bengal government and GJM.

Though the government did not promise anything about GJM’s long pending demand of statehood — Gorkhaland — during the talks, the Gorkha representatives termed the abolition of DGHC and dropping of the sixth schedule proposal as a step towards fulfilling their demand.

The government, on its part, announced the appointment of an interlocutor to carry forward the discussions. It was also decided that all the three parties will hold the fourth round of tripartite meeting in Darjeeling in December. So far, all the three rounds were held in the Capital.

In a bid to involve the agitating GJM in political process, the government also suggested that the Gorkha representatives take part in local level elections. Union home secretary G K Pillai said: “The Centre and the West Bengal government proposed that as an interim measure and to restore the democratic process, the elections to panchayat samitis, gram panchayats as well as municipalities be allowed to be held. GJM stated that they would consult and revert back to the state government.”

Referring to other concerns of GJM, Pillai said: “It was informed by the West Bengal government that portions of the Central Relief Funds and Special Central assistance amounting to Rs 70 crore were lying unutilised. It was agreed that a team of state government officials would be sent to Darjeeling to discuss the utilisation of these funds.”

Later, BJP MP from Darjeeling Jaswant Singh — who contested the parliamentary election with GJM support — said: “I hope that eventually these talks would lead to formation of Gorkhaland, which is the main demand of the Morcha.”

While the Gorkha delegation was led by Anmole Prasad, the West Bengal government was represented by a number of officials led by its chief secretary A Chakrabarty.

The Hills were on the boil for the first time during mid-1980s when GNLF leader Subhas Ghising came up with the statehood demand. He, however, later settled for the Hill Council following negotiations with the state and the Centre. GJM entered the scene much later and renewed the Gorkhas’ demand of separate state. It was also opposed to giving sixth schedule status to the region.

Tripartite meet puts GJM under pressure

SILIGURI: The tripartite meet on Gorkhaland slated for August 11 has increased pressure on GJM leaders from the tactical point of view.

We need some time to decide our standpoint at the meet, said Roshan Giri, GJM general secretary. We have received the state government s letter and discussing on that, he said while talking on the letter sent to their leadership by state chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, urging withdrawal of the indefinite bandh.

Already under tremendous pressure from large sections of the population, who have suffered due to the bandh, GJM has already let Sikkim bound NH31A to go out of the bandh ambit.

It is clear that tactically, the state government is now interested in keeping the ball in GJM court before the next tripartite meet. We do not want to create any confusion on the issue of GJM s response to CM s letter, said state chief secretary AM Chakroborty, when asked whether the state would take up any aggressive step if the GJM fails to respond positively to CM s letter.

A large section of the hill population, without any political leaning, think the next meet will not do anything significant on development of Gorkhaland. Naturally, they have already started expressing their views against the bandh; Something most unusual in hills.

At the same time, middle and lower level workers of the party, who have so far maintained a presence all along the hills, are highly enthusiastic about outcome of the meet.

But we cannot say anything about the outcome. We will present  our side at the meet and fight till we get Gorkhaland, was the only response of Mr. Giri when asked what would be his next step after the meet. But this much is clear, failing to churn out something highly positive would put him and other GJM top leadership under tremendous pressure. (The economics times)

GJM comes up with new set of demands

DARJEELING: A day after having expressed satisfaction over the government’s response to its terms for holding the third round of tripartite talks on

Gorkhaland, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) did a volte-face on Wednesday and came up with a fresh set of demands.

The GJM leadership has now demanded transfer of the police officials involved in the Panighatta incident of July 10, release of 19 of its supporters currently in jail and an impartial inquiry into alleged police atrocities on their cadres.

On July 10, police had lathicharged GJM supporters participating in a rally in Panighatta. Several persons were injured, followed by the arrest of some supporters of GJM and the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF). While most of the GNLF men had already been released on bail, prime accused Rajen Mukhia, a GNLF leader, was released on Wednesday.

However, 19 GJM supporters are still in jail. “We demand the transfer of police officials involved in the Panighatta incident, including North Bengal IG K L Tamta. Our demand is justified,” reasoned GJM secretary Roshan Giri.

In Kolkata, agitated urban development minister Asok Bhattacharya on Wednesday said GJM must withdraw the bandh considering that talks would be held soon. “I have told the chief minister that accepting the fact that the bandh will continue during the talks means we are buckling under pressure. If the bandh continues, there is no point in holding discussions,” he said. “The chief minister is worried about the issue.” He held that there is no question of a separate state, adding that Subhas Ghisingh was more responsible than Bimal Gurung.

Home secretary Ardhendu Sen said GJM had been requested not to block NH-31A. Sen said GJM had been asked to withdraw their strike, as for the talks in Delhi, a conducive environment is needed. He said GJM leaders will inform about their decision by Thursday.