Amid political doldrums in Darjeeling hills, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee
arrived there today on her two days long trip. To attend a social
function officially, the trip of CM is being considered as her major
tactical step with cast equation of hills to go against Gorkha Janamukti
Morcha(GJM) that has kept hills under bandh since last one month on
demand of separate Gorkhaland statehood.
On arrival at Bagdogra airport today, the CM urged GJM leaders to
withdraw bandh and start development activities through Gorkhaland
Territorial Administration(GTA), the separate autonomous administrative
body with high level of financial power formed in 2011 for Darjeeling
under demand of GJM and persuasion of Miss Banerjee. The CM arrived to
hill subdivision Kalimpong in the evening while receiving welcome wave from many Lepcha
community people all along 70 km long road from Bagdogra to the hill
Sub division that was kept under tight security arrangements.
"We will confer the title - 'KINGTSOOM DAARMIT,' meaning 'Godess of prosperity,' to her as our thanks for her initiative to form Mayel Lyang Lepcha Development Board(MLLDB)," said Mr. L. S. Tamchang, President Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association(ILTA). ILTA is the umbrella body for around 1.5 lakh lepcha population in West Bengal out of which, over 80% resides in Darjeeling hills.
Though CM verbally promised it two years back, the plan of MLLDB's formation came in gazette notification couple of months back after development of scar on TMC and GJM's friendship in last January mainly on several GTA issues.
Clear enough, the CM is now trying to get Lepcha section of hill populace in own side. Many thousands of Lepcha people have already gathered in Kalimpong for Tuesday's function and public meet of CM. But a section of the community, under banner of All India Lepcha Association, has opposed CM's visit and started relay hunger strike raising voice against CM's 'Divide and Rule' policy.
On the other side,GJM has called for 'Ghar Bhitre Janta' (Public inside home) in hills for Monday and Tuesday in addition to its ongoing indefinite bandh.
Understandably, response of general hill dweller to CM's programs will largely influence the future political situation in hills.
In one side, possible bright public response in CM's meeting will come as moral defeat to GJM. The indefinite bandh will fizzled out and Darjeeling may come under the political control of TMC with apparent peace. On the other side, with not so high response, GJM will gain enough courage to press even harder for separate statehood giving the overall situation an even more chaotic shape.
Moreover, GTA is going to have its meeting on next 4 thto appoint new Chief executive of the body as the former one and GJM President Mr. Bimal Gurung has resigned from the post. State may nominate one in the post and can hold GTA's power in own hand. As bonus, this will give TMC immense scope to flourish in hills where it is still near non existing entity. Positive public response in CM's meetings will give moral strength to state to go in that line.
But, "No one from hills can have the courage to get nominated to the post as we will keep entire system frozen," warned Dr. H B Chetri, strategists of GJM though he did not inform his party would attend the meeting or nominate anyone for the post or not.
"We will confer the title - 'KINGTSOOM DAARMIT,' meaning 'Godess of prosperity,' to her as our thanks for her initiative to form Mayel Lyang Lepcha Development Board(MLLDB)," said Mr. L. S. Tamchang, President Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association(ILTA). ILTA is the umbrella body for around 1.5 lakh lepcha population in West Bengal out of which, over 80% resides in Darjeeling hills.
Though CM verbally promised it two years back, the plan of MLLDB's formation came in gazette notification couple of months back after development of scar on TMC and GJM's friendship in last January mainly on several GTA issues.
Clear enough, the CM is now trying to get Lepcha section of hill populace in own side. Many thousands of Lepcha people have already gathered in Kalimpong for Tuesday's function and public meet of CM. But a section of the community, under banner of All India Lepcha Association, has opposed CM's visit and started relay hunger strike raising voice against CM's 'Divide and Rule' policy.
On the other side,GJM has called for 'Ghar Bhitre Janta' (Public inside home) in hills for Monday and Tuesday in addition to its ongoing indefinite bandh.
Understandably, response of general hill dweller to CM's programs will largely influence the future political situation in hills.
In one side, possible bright public response in CM's meeting will come as moral defeat to GJM. The indefinite bandh will fizzled out and Darjeeling may come under the political control of TMC with apparent peace. On the other side, with not so high response, GJM will gain enough courage to press even harder for separate statehood giving the overall situation an even more chaotic shape.
Moreover, GTA is going to have its meeting on next 4 thto appoint new Chief executive of the body as the former one and GJM President Mr. Bimal Gurung has resigned from the post. State may nominate one in the post and can hold GTA's power in own hand. As bonus, this will give TMC immense scope to flourish in hills where it is still near non existing entity. Positive public response in CM's meetings will give moral strength to state to go in that line.
But, "No one from hills can have the courage to get nominated to the post as we will keep entire system frozen," warned Dr. H B Chetri, strategists of GJM though he did not inform his party would attend the meeting or nominate anyone for the post or not.
0 comments:
Post a Comment