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DYFI supporters to resist ‘Gorkhaland’ demand

Statesman News Service

SILIGURI, Nov.23: With an imminent threat of expulsion haunting, a number of DYFI activists hailing from three sub divisions of the Darjeeling hills have not minced words in denouncing the Gorkhaland demand. “We are invincibly convinced that a separate state carved out of West Bengal would not prove to be a panacea for the Hills. The real issue of development is being relegated to the background by a certain organisation only to reap political harvest out of the growing grievances of the common people,” said Mr Shyam Pradhan, Mr Mahesh Chetri, Mr Ramesh Sharma and Mr Keshar Pradhan, all activists of the CPI-M ‘s youth wing.

They came to Siliguri to attend the two-day Darjeeling district conference of the organisation, which has ended today.

Earlier, addressing the open session of the conference on a school ground in Siliguri yesterday, the state urban development minister and a senior CPI-M leader Mr Asok Bhattacharya said that the youth of the district especially from the Hills should come out in increasing number against the narrow politics being practised by the GJMM in the name of a separate state. “The separate state demand is unacceptable in the first place. Besides, the common people must understand that the demand is a bogey intentionally nurtured to capture power,” he said. Taking a cue from the minister’s assertion the hill based youth leaders said that the people would see through the narrow game being played in the name of ethnic identity.

“Gorkhaland, even if it becomes a reality at any point of time, would definitely prove to be an illusion in terms of development expectation of the people. The real issue of the socio-economic and educational development of the Hills is being deliberately blurred in the sharpening ethnic pitch of separatist campaigning. We would resist the demand, come what may,” said Mr Shyam Pradha, the Darjeeling district DYFI president.

Endorsing the view, Mr Mahesh Chettri, Mr Ramesh Sharma and others said that around 70 delegates had come to Siliguri only to oppose the narrow, ethno based politics being practised in the hills.

© 2008 The Gorkhaland Chronicle.