The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) on Wednesday gave a call for a 12-hour bandh in the hills on Saturday to protest Mamata Banerjee government’s decision to set up a separate Lepcha Development Board. Ms Banerjee had announced her plan for the board during her visit to the hills last week.
The state Cabinet gave its nod to the decision on Tuesday. A day later the GJM retaliated with the bandh announcement making it clear that it was heading for a major confrontation with the state government.
On Tuesday, the state Cabinet chaired by the chief minister cleared the Lepcha Development Board under the backward classes welfare department. It is not clear why did Ms Banerjee take the step when she was aware of the GJM’s strong opposition to it.
Restoration of peace in Darjeeling had inarguably been Ms Banerjee’s major success. The way she won the confidence of the GJM leaders and persuaded them to first sign a tripartite agreement and then participate in the GTA election was praiseworthy. However, suddenly Ms Banerjee’s bonhomie with the GJM leadership evaporated.
On January 29, the GJM supporters raised separate Gorkhaland demand in front of Ms Banerjee in Darjeeling. An incensed chief minister scolded them for raising political slogans in a government programme (Uttar Banga Utsav) with Mr Gurung sitting by her side. The entire programme was marred by the showdown and a meeting between Ms Banerjee and Mr Gurung scheduled for later in the day was cancelled.
Later, Mr Gurung openly expressed his strong displeasure over Ms Banerjee’s behaviour. “It was she who first made a political statement in a government programme by asserting in her speech that the hills were an integral part of Bengal. She should have understood the sentiments of the people here,” he had said.
On January 30, Ms Banerjee met the representatives of the Lepchas in Kalimpong and promised to form a separate development body for them. Taking strong exception to her announcement, Mr Gurung said she was trying to divide the Lepchas and the Gorkhas. He even threatened to launch a militant movement to press for the demand of a separate homeland.
Justifying the call for a 12-hour bandh on February 9, GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said: “This is a blatant encroachment on the powers of the GTA. A development board of the Lepchas should be under the GTA Sabha.” The GJM leadership is so angry that it is planning to challenge the government’s decision in the court. Meanwhile, the chief minister held an emergency meeting at the Writers’ Buildings to review the situation in the hills. Beside the chief secretary, home secretary and the director general of police, North Bengal Development minister Gautam Deb also attended the meeting.
Left Front chairman Biman Bose who was in Siliguri on Wednesday said that the Mamata Banerjee government should immediately hold talks with the GJM leaders to defuse the situation in the hills.