As the strike demanding a separate Gorkhaland entered its 19th day on Monday, sporadic violence continued with groups of people hitting the roads, schools and other institutions remaining shut, and government properties being set on fire. As the indefinite protest gains momentum, call for a separate homeland in the Darjeeling area of eastern India, by people of Nepali-Indian Gorkhas saw effects in the UK. With a significant number of Gurkha population living in the country, the UK Darjeeling population held a vigil at the Marble Arch on Sat 24 June at 2pm to voice their opinion in support of a separate Gorkhaland.
The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) is scheduled to take out rallies in different parts of the region and the group has demanded that the Centre initiate a dialogue on Gorkhaland. The north-eastern town of Darjeeling remains on a hold as the district extended its ban for another eight days. Shops, restaurants, hotels, schools, and colleges, all but pharmacies remain closed. GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said, “The Mamata Banerjee government is dealing with it as a law and order problem. But it is not a law and order problem. It is a political problem and should be solved politically.” He added, “We believe in democratic movement. We want dialogue. Why dialogue cannot be opened? I met Union home minister and some BJP leaders.”
A pot waiting to brew, all hell broke lose earlier last month, when the West Bengal government decided to impose Bengali language in all schools from Class I to IX. The move triggered violent protest in Gorkha-dominating Darjeeling district. GJM chief Bimal Gurung criticised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's “dictatorial” style of politics. He said, “With respect, I say don't do divisive politics. Her (Banerjee) dictatorial politics will find a place in Guinness Book.” The crisis has been long cooking, over several decades, stemming from language. Nepali-speaking people of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong and other hilly districts have minimal connection with the Bengali community and are distinctively different in ethnicity, culture, and language.
Banerjee seems to have deliberately poked the sentiments of the community. After initially proposing Bengali as a compulsory subject, she conveniently changed her position later by announcing it would exist merely as an optional subject in the hills. Fact to be noted, neither Nepali nor Gorkhali, despite being recognised as one of the national official languages in India, fails to find a place in the list of optional subjects for the West Bengal Civil services examination. It is obvious that when the people are deprived of what they can claim constitutionally, it is seen as threat to their culture.
GJM demands CBI probe into violence
Meanwhile, the GJM has demanded a CBI probe into the violence in the Darjeeling hills and Siliguri. The GJM has blamed the ruling Trinamool Congress and the anti-Gorkhaland forces for the trouble. It also sought the Central government's intervention against the "draconian governance" of the Mamata Banerjee regime.
Even as sporadic violence continued in the hills, with a car set on fire in Kurseong, the GJM came out with a statement condemning the ongoing incidents in Darjeeling hills, Siliguri and its adjoining areas. "The GJM demands an inquiry into the arson, police atrocities, breach of communal harmony in the plains in the last three weeks including police firing on 17 June which led to the death of three of our Gorkha brothers and left 33 injured," GJM Assistant General Secretary Binoy Tamang said in the statement.
"We demand immediate intervention of the CBI in these matters as well as the Central government's intervention to stop the draconian governance of the Mamata Banerjee-led Bengal government," Tamang said. The GJM claimed that 'anti-Gorkhaland forces and the Trinamool government sponsored elements' have come together in the hills for fomenting the violence to 'defame the GJM party and its leadership'. It charged these forces with inciting communal hatred and creating a division between the hills and the plains.
"Anti Gorkhaland forces and Trinamool government sponsored elements have also been actively inciting the people of Siliguri, Odlabari, Malbazar, Meteli and parts of Dooars in communal hatred and division between hills and the plains." Claiming that it had believed in a democratic form of agitation for Gorkhaland since its inception, the GJM said it found it intriguing "that these arsons and attacks on government offices and properties are taking place in the presence of a large number of West Bengal Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel".
"We doubt that the people who are doing this are hand in glove with the West Bengal government to defame the GJM," Tamang said. The GJM also condemned the harassment faced by the people of Sikkim in Siliguri and the vandalisaiton of Sikkimese vehicles.
"Sikkim and Darjeeling have always shared a cordial and warm relationship. Sikkim coming forward in support of Gorkhaland is an example of it.
"India being a democracy, everyone has the right to voice their opinion, that does not mean that Sikkimese vehicles should be vandalised and Sikkimese people harassed in broad daylight in Siliguri for the support that they have extended to the Gorkhaland movement," the statement said.
