People's Democracy

Politically Isolated GNLF

Calls For Separatist ‘Gorkhaland’

B Prasant

WHEN in the afternoon of January 10, GNLF supremo, Subhas Ghising called for a separatist ‘Gorkhaland,’ he merely represented the political desperation of his outfit. For some years now, the GNLF has had several splinter groups created out of it. Internecine quarrels, in some instances leading to killings, have escalated. 

The leadership of Ghising faces a very serious challenge. Ghising himself faced an attack on his person at Pankhabari back in 2001 after which he went into a shell and would not address public meetings at all.  To top it all, the CPI(M) has made steady gains in the hill region thanks to its correct political outlook and extensive mass contact.

The rally where Subhas Ghising declared that only the creation of a ‘Gorkhaland’ was the ‘sole solution to the problems of the hill people,’ he was iterating his point of view circa 1987-88 when he had led a small section of the hill people into declaring war on the Bengal Left Front government and the CPI(M).

It is not difficult to understand the reason why Ghising, out of considerations of political survival, has come out with the separatist cant now, with the elections to the Hill Council around the corner.  The CPI(M) has already forged an alliance with other hill-based political parties to contest the polls.  The GNLF virtually stands alone and sees its political acceptability fading fast among the hill people.

Earlier to the rally where Ghising revived the separatist slogan, the meeting of the hill council, being held after a very long period of time, in fact four years to be precise, ended up in chaos when the GNLF councillors tried to suppress the voice of the four CPI(M) councillors who had stood up to demand why the hill council could not be convened earlier. 

Expectedly, Ghising scrupulously avoided the media when confronted with the same question. Cornered, Ghising believes that a separatist slogan will work wonders for his party.  Little does he realise that the political scenario of the hill area has undergone far-reaching changes from 1987-88.

CPI(M) CRITICISM

The Darjeeling unit of the CPI(M) has expressed sharp criticism of GNLF supremo Subhas Ghising’s call for a separatist ‘Gorkhaland’ in the hill areas of the Darjeeling district recently.  The CPI(M) is also critical of the comment made by Ghising that he ‘would not allow elections to the hill council to be held.’ 

District unit secretary of the CPI(M), S P Lepcha said that the CPI(M) always wanted peace and development in the hill areas and not violence and disorder, and described Ghising’s separatist slogan as anti-people, coming as it did from Ghising’s position of responsibility as chairperson of the hill council.

Dawa Bomjan, CPI(M) leader in the hill areas of the Darjeeling district made it quite clear and said that the gradual unravelling of the support behind the GNLF, as exemplified by the election results over the past four years, had made Ghising and his henchmen quite desperate for political survival. 

The internecine quarrels within the GNLF, pointed out Dawa Bomjan, was on the rise sharply.  All this had made Ghising go back to separatist slogan-mongering on the eve of the elections to the hill council where the CPI(M) heads a four-party alliance.

The leaders of the breakaway fraction of the GNLF, D K Pradhan commenting on Ghising’s separatist outburst said that he welcomed Ghising’s call for a ‘CBI investigation’ into the killing of three GNLF councillors and Pradhan added to say that Ghising should be prepared to face to some unpleasant truths when the investigation got ahead.

Gorkha League leader Madan Tamang has said that Ghising spoke only for himself when he issued threats to stop the hill council polls and gave a separatist call. Ghising should instead, noted Tamang, put his own house to order.  Tamang said that the state government must ensure that elections to the hill council were free and fair.

The common people of Darjeeling are quite flabbergasted at the separatist slogan of Ghising. The economy of the district is dependent quite importantly on tourism.  Such irresponsible slogan mongering, the people feel, would once again, like during the mid-1980’s, serve to scare visitors away.  Notably, those upset by Ghising’s irresponsible antics include a large number of those who yet continue to support the GNLF. (INN)