Kolkata: Indicating intensifying of agitations in support of their demand for a separate Gorkhaland state, Ajay Edwards founded Hamro Party has started a new campaign accusing the ruling Trinamool Congress of describing the hill people as “outsiders”.
A poster campaign has already started in Kurseong claiming that during the debate of a recent special motion passed in the state Assembly condemning attempts by divisive forces to divide the state, a heavyweight member of the state described the people of the hills as “outsiders”.
Hamro Party founder Ajay Edwards has alleged that despite being a hill party, Anit Thapa founded Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM), as an ally of Trinamool Congress in the hills, have remained silent over the insult of the hill people by a minister of the state.
Edwards has also alleged that Thapa, as the chief executive of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), is silently dodging GTA prime agenda for opening dialogues as regards to the formation of the separate Gorkhaland state.
“In September last year, the meeting of GTA was held and the prime agenda of the meeting was to initiate in opening dialogues for the separate statehood. But Anit Thapa is now silent on this issue,” Edwards said.
His comments in the matter have been supported by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) chief Bimal Gurung and estranged Trinamool Congress leader Binoy Tamang. Recently there had been an alliance between Edwards, Gurung and Tamang over the resurrection of the movement in demand of the separate Gorkhaland state.
To recall, the division in the state BJP unit over the issue of separate Gorkhaland state became evident in the recently concluded budget session of the Assembly, where the special motion condemning attempts by divisive forces to divide the state was passed.
While the leader of the opposition Suvendu Adhikari spoke of “One West Bengal- Best West Bengal,” BJP legislator from Kurseong Assembly constituency Bishnu Prasad Sharma demanded a referendum for the people of the hills to decide whether they want to remain associated with West Bengal or want a separate Gorkhaland state.
Speaking to media persons, Edwards also complimented Sharma for going against his announced party lines by speaking on behalf of the sentiments of the people of the hills.
Anit Thapa, however, said that the such demands from the newly formed political trio in the hills are reflections of their frustrations after being isolated from the people of the hills. “Separate statehood is a matter which the Union government can decide and now if the Centre does not take any initiative on this count, what can the state government do?” Thapa questioned.
The demand for a separate Gorkhaland is for the hills scattered over Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong in North Bengal.
–IANS