News

Tamang plans new Opposition Front

‘New front’ to pitch for Gorkhaland
Statesman News Service

DARJEELING, Nov. 10: As a culmination of the recent development in the Hills pro-Gorkhaland democratic forces from Darjeeling and Dooras region and the rest of West Bengal will possibly unite to form a political Front for the political demand of a separate state in the initiative of All India Gorkha League.

“This is the inevitable outcome of the undemocratic acts of GJMM. Discussions are going on with all intellectuals from Bengal, concerned citizens and pro-Gorkhaland parties to form a united front to generate a public opinion in the rest of the state for the separate state demand”, said AIGL president Mr. Madan Tamang.

During GNLF’s reign a united Opposition comprising of all anti-GNLF parties had formed the Peoples’ Democratic Front which was rendered dysfunctional after GJMM came to existence last year. The main reason was the falling out between the CPRM and AIGL, two major constituents of PDF when the former befriended GJMM but the latter refused to surrender.

“The PDF still exists but is keeping a low profile. This will be on a larger scale and formed in the lines of All Party Hill Leaders Conference, an association of different north-eastern parties instrumental in attaining the state of Meghalaya. The Front will be formed within November. Our vision of Gorkhaland is a fearless society where people will not have to follow diktats”, Mr Tamang said.

But the criterion is they will have to adopt a district level resolution for Gorkhaland. “By pro-Gorkhaland we mean all parties in favour of it. Even if the CPIM wishes to join they can by adopting a resolution for the separate state,” Mr Tamang replied when asked if GJMM would be part of it.

The CPRM leadership stated that decisions on such prospects could be taken only after a formal intimation from the AIGL. “We have not received any proposals so far. However, we have to review such a development within our own party before taking any stand,” CPRM general secretary Mr RB Rai said.

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Tamang floats new front plan
www.telegraphindia.com

Darjeeling, Nov. 10: The ABGL is contemplating forming a new front in support of Gorkhaland by organising a meeting of “all political parties and intellectuals across Bengal”.

“We plan to organise a meeting on the lines of the All Party Hill Leader’s Conference that had been chaired by Capt. William Sangma in Shillong in 1971 before carving Meghalaya (out of Assam),” said Madan Tamang, the ABGL president, today.

The proposed meeting is likely to be held here at the end of the month.

“However, the parties will have to adopt a resolution, even if at the district-level, before participating in the meeting,” said Tamang.

The ABGL leader said all political parties from the hills also would be invited. “If the CPM, too, adopts a resolution in favour of Gorkhaland, it will be welcomed,” said Tamang and added that he was not eager to lead the front, a clear roadmap for which is yet to emerge.

“Many intellectuals in Calcutta are in support of Gorkhaland. They have expressed their willingness to attend the meet. However, we will lay a stress on achieving Gorkhaland through democratic means,” Tamang added.

Asked about the fate of the People’s Democratic Front, an anti-GNLF forum that was headed by Tamang, the ABGL leader said the coalition was “not defunct but is merely maintaining a low profile”.

“At one point, there was an indication that even the new party (the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha) would be a forum only. However, they registered with the Election Commission as a political outfit,” said Tamang.

Observers, however, believe that the success of the new front will largely depend on the Morcha response as it still enjoys the support of the majority of the hill people. Given the animosity between Bimal Gurung’s party and the ABGL, the prospects of a new front look bleak.

Today, the student wing of the Morcha brought out a rally against Tamang.

The students, mainly from schools, had come to attend a meeting called by the Morcha.

Tamang criticised B.B. Gooroong, the political adviser to the Sikkim chief minister, for his comments against some “hill parties” at a book release programme yesterday.

“If Gooroong is concerned about the hill problems, Sikkim should claim Darjeeling as its own for the hills originally belong to the Himalayan kingdom. The ABGL has been passing a resolution on the merger of Darjeeling and Sikkim since 1943,” said Tamang.

© 2008 The Gorkhaland Chronicle.