Darjeeling-dooars

The Great Kolkata Dharna
Each generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its mission, fulfil it, or betray it. As for us who have decided to break the back of colonialism, our historic mission is to sanction all revolts, all desperate actions, all those abortive attempts…

Frantz Fanon

The CPRM not only had its fight with the cloaked Marxists, but in a very discreet way it was to confront with an ally and co-partner in the fight for separate state of Gorkhaland. However, the CPRM as a seasoned and mature political party succeeded to avert the inevitable confrontation. As CPRM had decided two month earlier to stage Dharna at Writers' Building that was the power centre of West Bengal Government, on 12th and 13th June 08 on the demand of formation of a separate state of Gorkhaland. In addition the also demanded adequate compensation for the victims of 1986-88 agitation and a speedy trial in the case of the alleged attempt on Subash Ghisingh at Saat Ghumti on 10th Feb.2001. After the Dharna they were scheduled to address their grievances before the Governor, Chief-minister, Chief-secretary, Home secretary and Human Right Commission of West Bengal.But the GJMM started hunger strike from the first week of June- 08 at Naxalbari against the denial of permission of holding public meeting at Naxalbari and subsequently the hunger strike was extended to Matigara, Bagdogra, Salugarah. And on 8th June 08, the GJMM declared the blockade of the national Highway that lead to Kolkata and Bihar as a counter measure against the denial of permission for holding public meeting at Naxalbari and despite organizing hunger strike for the same. On the same day an organization named as Janachetna Mancha reportedly to have been formed about a month back at the behest of CPM Siliguri entered to the site of the road blockade with an intention to pressurize and lift the road blockade. Thus, it was natural for an altercation that led to skirmish and pelting of stones. The police entered the fray by bursting tear gas shell and Lathi charged as a result near about forty people sustained injury and hospitalization. The immediate reaction of GJMM was to call for twenty four hours strike from 9th June 08. The strike was total in Darjeeling hills and on the preceding day of the strike, the GJMM president, Bimal Gurung was addressing a meeting of contractual employees of DGHC at Kalimpong where he had said that an agitation would be launched from 7th July 08 and suggested the people to make collection and arrangement of necessary provision, to sustain the movement. But when the twenty four hour strike was on and at about noon message started flowing in Darjeeling town that an indefinite strike would be called by GJMM from 10th June 08. At that moment CPRM was making last preparation and giving a final touch to their Kolkata trip to send two thousand people for the prescheduled programe of Dharna at Writers, Building. The message was like a bolt from the blue. However the leadership was optimistic that passage of vehicles for carrying the participants of Dharna would be allowed to reach Siliguri by the GJMM as they had intimated THE SCHEDULED PROGRAMME IN WRITING TO GJMM prior to the call of twenty four hours strike by them. And accordingly, the organizer chief of Youth wing of CPRM and the leader of the Kolkata Writers' Dharna, Sekhar Chhetrri contacted over the phone Bimal Gurung to allow them to reach Siliguri in the hired vehicles. He however, refused to comply the request and stated that even the military vehicles were not allowed to ply. Prior to it I.K Sharma, the Central committee member of CPRM had contacted through mobile to his lawyer colleague, Amar Lama who was also the Central Committee member of GJMM, in regard to their decision of calling the indefinite strike, but the reply was that, he was not aware of the decision of the strike. In such a situation within the CPRM OFFICE, Darjeeling K.B. Subba, T.M. Rai, Ganesh Rai and Sekhar Chhetrri held a meeting with some of the participants of the Writers' Dharna, namely Nabin Tamang, Sudhan Dahal, Asok Gajmer, Usha Thapa, Preeti Rai, Ramesh Khati, Kumar Subba, Suman Thami, Birendra Giri, Bhanu Pradhan and decided to walk from Darjeeling to Siliguri covering a distance of 90 kilometre so as not to disturb the indefinite strike of the GJMM. And, accordingly message were sent to the different areas from where two thousand youth belonging to Democratic Revolutionary youth Front and Democratic Revolutionary women Front of CPRM were supposed to take part at Kolkata Dharna. But most of them had not expected a decision to move on foot with a short notice of twelve hours, which was much ahead of the proposed schedule of boarding the bus and taxis to Siliguri on while on their way to Kolkata. But the party directed them to assemble at Ghoom Railway Station, Rungbull, Sonada, Dilaram and Kurseong from 7 A.M, 8 A.M, 10 A.M, 12 noon and 2.30 P.M respectively on 10th June 08. Thus, as a result of the directive to move within twelve hours, many of them were startled as they were mentally prepared to take the normal course as per scheduled. However, near about one hundred fifty male and female participants to Kolkata Dharna assembled at Ghoom Railway Station on 10th June 08 at 7 A.M and they were flagged off by the Central Committee Members of CPRM, Balay Dukpa, Narbu Lama, N.B. Rai by giving vermillion Tika and best wishes for the journey. The marchers were determined to reach Siliguri by late in the evenining and halt there for a night so as to be able to board the train to Kolkata the next day. The decision of the marchers was communicated to the Central Committee Member, Taramoni Rai at Siliguri and for him it was really an alarming message and directives from Central Committee Office, Darjeeling. But he took the responsibility with total dedication and sincerity by taking Kala Tamang, Radhika sinha, Wangdi Dukpa, and other Central Committee members of the CPRM who were staying at Siliguri, and many others who were active supporters of Gorkhaland state associated with GJMM around Salbari and Pintail village, Siliguri. R. M Rai, Milan Chhettri and others of his own party were with him, and they managed to make arrangements for food, lodging and other requirements for four hundred seventy marchers, who had reached Siliguri by 11 P.M of 10th June 08. The marchers on their way to Siliguri were seen at Kurseong by Bimal Gurung in person, as he was returning to Darjeeling in a convoy of vehicles after attending a public meeting at Monteviet Ground. And, two responsible leaders of GJMM, namely Amar Lama and D.K.Pradhan who too were on their way to Siliguri in the vehicle after attending and addressing public meeting at Monteviet ground came across to anticipate the marchers. But the two responsible leaders remarked in a jestful manner to the leader of the Marchers, Sekher Chhettri that as walking is good, they should walk. However, Kalimpong, Teesta, Rambi, Kalijhora and Gourbathan units of GJMM allowed the participants to attend the Dharna in Kolkata and were allowed to go to Siliguri in vehicles on their way so as to catch the Train for Kolkata. The next day while leading the entire delegation, Taramoni Rai left for Kolkata by Teesta Torsa Train. In Kolkata the Central Committee members of CPRM namely Gobin Chhettri, Arun Ghatani and Bindya Dukpa had reached a week ahead of the scheduled programme and they were engaged for fourteen to fifteen hours of hectic mental, physical and diplomatic exercise in the unbearable summer heat of Bengal. As they were assigned the responsibility by the party for making arrangement of accommodation, food, as well as the security of the participants by ensuring support and help from other political parties, they also had to highlight the programme through media, for popularizing the demand for which Dharna was scheduled to be organized. It was seen that they had carried the assignments to the fullest satisfaction of the party and to the best of their capacity and ability. The situation in Siliguri and Dooars had become tense and vulnerable on account of the campaign launched by Amra Bengali, Janchetna Manch and Janjagaran Manch against the demand for the separate state of Gorkhaland. The three organizations claiming to be apolitical organizations but it was believed that they were the brain child of the CPM, and more precisely it was alleged that they were acting at the behest of Minister, Asok Bhattacherjee. The nature of campaign carried out by them had set communal tension in and around Siliguri and Dooars. Thus, there were apprehensions that the repercussion of Siliguri happenings would be reflected in Kolkata where the participants to Kolkata Dharna could be the possible victims. But the saner, wise, judicious and democratic minded people of Kolkata city from to every walk of life were seen to have welcomed the participants. There was not a single adverse comment, sarcasm, seeing with ed eye and to look upon the Dharna Participants landed at Sealdah Railway Station and moved in procession by carrying Banners, Posters, Play cards and shouting slogans for the formation of a separate state of Gorkhaland for Indian Gorkhas to secure their political safeguard and an Indian identity. The procession braving the 40 degree Celsius temperature of Kolkata led by Taramoni Rai, Gobin Chhettri, Kishor Pradhan, Arun Ghatani, Sekhar Chhettri, Wangdi Dukpa, A.D. Rai, Mohan Poudyal, Bikram Chhettri, Santosh Pradhan, Kailash Khawas, Sanjila Ghising, Jasuda Tamang, Bindiya Dukpa, Vindiya Gotamay all Central Committee Members of CPRM with Volunteers detailed by CPI (M-L) Liberation made marching for an hour round the streets of Kolkata. In this manner the Kolkata Dharna started from the different villages of Darjeeling in early dawn of 10th June 08, for walking fifteen hours to cover a distance of ninety kilometres was followed by the Rally from Sealdah Railway Station turned into Dharna, meeting, discussions, speeches, interaction with different layers of intellectuals and politicians and briefing the print and electronic media in front of Writers' Building at Metro-channel simultaneously waiting upon Deputation to the Governor, Gopal Krishna Gandhi, the Home Secretary, Government of West Bengal and the Human Right Commission. In support of the Demand for the formation of Separate State of Gorkhaland, speedy trial of Chattray Subba and others and adequate compensation to kith and kin of the people who had died in the movement of 1986-88,(1) Basudev Basu, AICCTU, West Bengal state secretary, (2)Abash Munchi, Central Secretariat member of MKP, (3)Bibash Basu, state committee member, AICCTU, (4)Parag, secretary, PDPS, (5)Bablu Das, CPI(ML) Kolkata Office, (6)Prabir Das, Member Kolkata district, CPI (M L), (7)Rafiul Haque, Workers Party of India, West Bengal State Committee member, (8)Barnali Mukherjee, Central committee member of Communist Party of Bharat, (9)Swapan Kumar Roy Chaudhary, Arujee Mitra Smarak Samity, (10)Bablu Dutta, state secretariat member CPI(ML) Kanu, (11)Pradip Banerjee, secretary West Bengal State Organizing Committee CPI(ML), (12)Somnath Chatterjee, secretariat member CPI(ML) SOC, (13)Chotan Das, State secretary Bandhi Mukti Committee, (14)Raja Sarkar, Ganapratirodh Manch, (15)Daipan Banerjee, AISA, (16) Prabin Gurung, General Secretary, United Forum for Cinchona and (17)Santosh Rana, General Secretary, PCC, CPI(ML) spoke in the public meeting and expressed their solidarity and support to achieve objectives for which Kolkata Dharna was organized. The successful holding of such kind of effective political activities in Kolkata with the involvement and participation of such large numbers of organizations from Bengali community amply proved that the demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland was never a demand against Bengali community of West Bengal. It was for the first time in the history of century old struggle for separation of Darjeeling, Terai and Dooar from the unmindful political and administrative clutches of Bengal, was seen to have been highlighted with historical, geographical, political and administrative records after supplementing with incontrovertible data, facts and figures by the leaders and participants of Kolkata Dharna. As a result of the zeal and awareness in the leadership being armed with different aspects of the demand for Gorkhaland to be taken ahead successfully had engrossed the attention of saner, liberal, unprejudiced, non-parochial and principled leaders and parties in Kolkata on 13th & 14th June 08. As the assemblage and participation of leaders from seventeen different organizations along with the involvement of their supporters and cadres for the cause of Homeland for Indian Gorkhas clearly proved and exhibited that it is only the chauvinistic and parochial Bengalis who are against the formation of a separate state of Gorkhaland and they do not represent the entire Bengali population. Some of the print and electronic media in spite of being owned and run by Bengali nationals were also carried reportage, interview and panel discussion live telecast without any reluctancy. Hence, the seventeen organizations, theirs supporters and cadres as well as a large section of people from different walks of life to form the gentry of Kolkata metropolis, and the media for their intellectual balance in differentiating the truth from deceit deserve standing ovation from the heart and soul of every Indian Gorkhas. Further, the Indian Gorkhas will truely appreciate their endeavour to gauge and draw a distinct line between the historical facts and ambiguous design sustained by the constant political ouslaught let loose from the chambers of the Writers Buildings. In the same breath, their sagacity to dissuade from the narrow regional parochialism will not only foster the movement for a separate Gorkha Homeland, but would uphold the true Bengali legacy that would in the days to come stand as a shining example before the nation. Thus, in a sense the Kolkata Dharna jointly organised by the Democratic Revolutionary Youth Front and Democratic Revolutionary Nari Morcha of CPRM had been successful in constructing a Bridge over the Deep Socio-Political Rift made by Chauvinistic and Parochial elements between the two great nationals of India. The Bridge would certainly give passage to every one for knowing the history, culture and identity of people residing in Darjeeling, Terai and Dooars and the rest of Bengal and knowing each other will also lead to respect each other. The respect and honour of the history, culture and national esteem of one by another will create a vast and fertile expanse for unhindered socio-politico growth and development and the simultaneous growth and development of the two communities will further strengthen the democratic values and its ingredient in the largest democratic country of the world.

But the 470 participants with their leaders were scheduled to return to their respective areas on 14th June 08 after the successful completion of the Kolkata Dharna, Deputation, Public Meetings and interaction and discussion with intellectuals, political leaders and media in the capitol of West Bengal were confronted with a predicament. As their safe return to their respective home had become a serious problem as there was no availability of Transport from Siliguri to the different areas due to the indefinite strike of GJMM. In such a situation, at the direction of the party K.B.Subba, Narbu Lama, N.B.Rai, B.M.Rai made a concentrated effort by calling the District Magistrate, Rajesh Pandey, Additional District Magistrate, P. Zimba and ASP, J.Paul for providing necessary security to the participants from Siliguri to their respective areas. But in the evening of 13th June 08 luckily the news flashed that the indefinite strike has been further relaxed till 6 P.M of Monday, the 16th June 08. And, accordingly on 14th June 08 the participants were given rousing reception on behalf of the CPRM, Central Committee at NJP Railway Station by Narbu lama, Balay Dukpa, N.B.Rai, B.S.Subba, B.M. Rai, Sawan Rai, L.M.Lama, D.R.Sharma, Arujun Chhettri. On the same evening a similar type of reception was organised at the railway station located at the highest altitude in Asia, the Ghoom Railway Station by K.B.Subba, T.M.Rai, Ganesh Rai, Tshering Tamang, Sudhan Sharma on behalf of Darjeeling Terai Dooars Chia Kaman Mazdoor Union and Darjeeling, Terai Dooars Staffs and sub-staffs association for their successful Kolkata Dharna programme.

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A Historic Seminar on Gorkhaland
The successful Kolkata Dharna was immediately followed by the holding of demonstration and hunger strike for twelve hours in Kolkata by the Bandi Mukti Committee for the release of Chhatry Subba and others and demonstration and hunger strike for Gorkhaland by CPI(ML) New Democracy in Delhi in the last week of June 08. The Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR) collected signatures of sixty renowned Celebrities from across India in support for the demand for a homeland for the Indian Gorkha and submitted the same to the governments of India and West Bengal. (Please See Annexure). Buddhadev Bhattacherjee being elected as a member of West Bengal Legislative Assembly from Jadavpur Constituency for years together was leading the Left Front Government as its chief minister. He was extremely adverse to the issue of Gorkhaland as a homeland for Indian Gorkha comprising Darjeeling District and Dooars. But the renowned Jadavpur University falling under his constituency had a distinction of holding a seminar in Vivekananda Hall of the University on the issue of Gorkhaland on 9th July 08 joiintly by Indian Institute of Marxist Studies (IIMS), Kolkata Chapter,21/1/1, Creek Row, Kolkata-700014 and All India Student Association (AISA). The holding of the very Seminar in the university located within the citadel of chief minister was like a swoop upon a roaring tiger. But the organizer not only dared the tiger but also braved to extend a formal invitation to R.B. Rai, the General Secretary, CPRM as a speaker on the demand of Gorkhaland. On receipt of the invitation letter, CPRM took up the matter with the organizer for inviting other political parties operating in Darjeeling who were also pursuing the demand of Gorkhaland. But it was replied that the Seminar was organized with a view to forge unity among the Leftist who professed Marxism but baring CPM for establishing unanimity in approach to the issue of Gorkhaland. In spite of such a reply from the organizer of the seminar, CPRM again tried their best on which the organizer agreed only to invite Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh on the criteria of its persuasion of the issue of Gorkhaland in the national level by organizing support in the different states of Indian Union. Accordingly the General Secretary CPRM, R.B. Rai, Central Committee Members namely Taramoni Rai, Gobin Chhettri,Arun Ghatani, Kishor Pradhan along with Youth Leaders viz, Santosh Pradhan, Kamal Rai and Suren Chamling attended the Seminar. The Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh was represented by its working President, C.K. Shrestha and General Secretary Sukman Moktan. The Hall packed gathering was addressed by Durjay Choudhary, Dr. Kunal Chottapadhya who was a professor of history in Jadavpur University, Dr. Arindam Sen, C.K Shrestha, Basudev Basu, R.B. Rai, Dr. Partha Ghosh and Taramoni Rai. Besides discourses there was also an interaction session, in which Debuprasad Bondhopadhya, Goutam Sen and Swamitra Basu had taken part. The speakers dealt in detail to enlighten the audience the history, geography, culture of Indian Gorkhas, their contributions in the Freedom Struggle and continuous input made by them in making modern India on being subsumed in the country along with a vast terrritory after 1815. Finally, the five hours session came to the conclusion that, there is no scope and justification in denying a homeland to the Indian Gorkhas comprising Darjeeling District and Dooars region. In the history of struggle that extended more than a century for having constitutionally, administratively and politically recognized and designated homeland for the Indian Gorkha, the Seminar was a first of its kind. As it was for the first time the intellectuals spoke and supported the cause of a homeland for Indian Gorkhas through a platform by ignoring and undermining the opposition of their own community that had been infected by the virus of parochialism. The bigoted parochialists had been on the job of telling the general people in the plains that the issue of Gorkhaland is an Anti-Bengali and narrow Gorkha chauvinistic demand. But the seminar in the Vivekananda Hall of Jadavpur University addressed by leading intellectuals of the Bengali Community had dispelled the canard spread by ultra-nationalistic individual and leaders against the case of a homeland for the Indian Gorkhas comprising of Darjeeling District and Dooars that were never a part of Bengal. The seminar lending its support to the cause of homeland for the Indian Gorkhas decided to organize Seminars in Jawarlall Nehru University, Delhi, Kolkata, Siliguri and Darjeeling for enlisting the requisite support and help from intellectual community of India. And, the Indian Institute of Marxists Studies assured of creating a Website with their own Fund for which necessary papers, documents, data and other relevant items pertaining to the demand of Gorkhaland were requested to CPRM and Bharitya Gorkha Parisang. Thus, the Kolkata Dharna jointly initiated by the Youth wing and Nari Morcha of CPRM had put the ball in the court of the intellectuals of India for extending their valued support for making the case for a separate state of Gorkhaland comprising Darjeeling District and Dooars for the Indian Gorkha a reality.

The indefinite strike resumed as announced earlier but on the second day of the resumption of strike(14th June 08) an All Party Meeting barring the GNLF and CPM was convened by the GJMM at Gymkhana Club at 10 A.M. The meeting was attended by the representatives of National, State Level and Regional parties operating in Darjeeling Hills that stood as thirteen organizations. After more than three hours of deliberation the meeting unanimously passed a resolution that read as "The meeting unanimously urged the Government of India to create a separate state of Gorkhaland by carving out the area of entire Darjeeling District and the contiguous Dooars area of Jalpaiguri district in the state of West Bengal". The meeting also strongly condemned the atrocities perpetrated by the Government of West Bengal and CPI (M) cadres against the Nepali speaking Gorkhas of Siliguri and Dooars area, who were peacefully and democratically holding a rally and hunger strike in support of their demand for creation of Gorkhaland within the framework of the Constitution of India. The meeting further condemned the reign of terror unleashed by the Government of West Bengal, by disallowing the Morcha supporters to hold democratic activities in Siliguri and Dooars area of Jalpaiguri District. The meeting therefore requests the Government of India to make an immediate intervention in this regard to uphold the democratic right of the people". The resolution was signed by (1) Bimal Gurung, GJMM (2) Nakul Chhettri, Indian National Congress, (3) Dr. G.S.Yonjan, BJP, (4) Mohan Singh Rai, CPI, (5) Gopal Chhettri, Trinmul Congress,(6) Shamshul Hoda, Indian union of Muslim League, (7) Laxaman Pradhan, All India Gorkha League, (8) R.B. Rai, CPRM, (9) D.K.Bomjan, Gorkha Rastriya Congress, (10) R.Moktan, Sikkim National Front, (11) D.K.Pradhan, GNLF(C), (12) Minority Cell (Congress), Altaf Hussain and (13) Chabi Rai, Kisan Congress. The meeting arrived at a consensus of taking one representative from each organization to visit Delhi as and when invitation is received from Delhi by GJMM for holding talk and discussion. Some portion of deliberation of the meeting and joint press briefing by the leaders of the thirteen organizations was live telecast by some of the media channels. But West Bengal units of BJP, Indian National Congress, CPI and Trinmul Congress immediately reacted, stating that the person putting signature on the resolution were not their representative and further added that the names of the persons signing in the resolution were not known them as their members. On the same day the West Bengal Government had also called an all party meeting in Kolkata at 4 P.M on Darjeeling affairs and probably with an intention of adopting a Resolution against the demand of separate state of Gorkhaland. But the main opposition party of West Bengal, Trinmul Congress and another opposition party SUCI decided for not attending the all party meeting called by the Government on the ground that GJMM was leading a movement in Darjeeling with a demand of Gorkhaland and the concerned party that leading the movement was not invited to that very All Party Meeting. However, the GJMM was invited on 18th June 08 for holding talk with the government of West Bengal only, but declining the invitation GJMM insisted for Tripartite Meeting with involvement of government of India. Thus, being pressed from different sides the All Party Meeting instead of taking resolution against the demand of Gorkhaland, the chief-minister, Buddhadev Bhattacherjee again extended invitation to GJMM for holding talk with the state government. But GJMM was pressing for Tripartite Talks on the issue of Gorkhaland for which they had been carrying out indefinite strike in Darjeeling hills and relay hunger strike in Dooars and at some places in Siliguri with incessant relaxation for sixty hours.

The demand for holding Tripartite Meeting and the on going indefinite strike and relay hunger strike was seemed to have created an impasse which got further complicated due to political crisis in Delhi for finalizing the nuclear deal and its vigorous opposition from the Left Front that was supporting United Progressive Alliance(UPA) Government. Thus, the national political scenario and rigid stand taken by the Left Front Government against the demand for Gorkhaland put the GJMM between deep sea and devil and in order to get rid of the situation that had fallen on them, an announcement of suspension of indefinite strike till 5th July 08 was made on 24th June 08, evening before the expiry of sixty hours relaxation as given to the indefinite strike. The announcement was followed by sending delegations to Delhi and Kolkata led by Rosan Giri and Amar Lama respectively. The suspension of the strike and sending of delegations, was not taken very kindly by the people, as most of them had procured food stuffs for the strike by taking loan and mortgaging ornaments and other saleable items whatever they had at scrap throw away price just for buying essential items at an exorbitant rate from traders and shopkeepers. The delegation to New Delhi had met the Union Home Minister, Shivaraj Patil who is believed to have advised the delegation that "if any cooperation is needed the union may help the state and others." The Telegraph dated 25th June 08. The "cooperation of the union" was clear that the Government of India would not do anything against the wishes of the government of West Bengal. But the GJMM, despite being aware of the mind of West Bengal Government was trying to have a Tripartite Meeting by pursuing the matter with the government of West Bengal for which a meeting was held at the Writers' Building, Kolkata with Buddhadev Bhattacherjee, the chief minister. After the meeting the chief minister told the press as "I told the morcha that if we cannot sit together and work out a political solution to the problem in the hills, talks with the Centre would not be meaningful. So, I appealed to them to go back to Darjeeling and think again on my proposals for a bipartite discussion. I told the morcha delegation that we have been staying united for so long and in a peaceful manner. So, why is the question of the state's division being raised! What for! I had said this at an earlier meeting with the morcha too". But the Morcha's delegation leader, Amar Lama briefed the media that "the chief minister told us about granting more powers to the hill council. But we turned down his proposal and told him that we want Gorkhaland. So in that way our meeting was not successful. The chief minister did not say that the Centre would not agree to our demand for statehood, but we categorically told him that the tripartite meeting should take first and that it was our responsibility to convince the Centre" The Telegraph dated 28th June 08.

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