Thapa, Binoy & others to stay away from talks in Delhi
Darjeeling: Neither GTA Chairman Anit Thapa nor any representative of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (Binoy Tamang faction) will be attending the GTA review meeting called by the Union Home Ministry in Delhi on August 7. The GJM has demanded that the Union government change the agenda and call a meeting on Gorkhaland only.
Next day after the letter to attend the review meeting in Delhi was received, GTA chairman Anit Thapa, through a virtual press conference, made it clear that he would not be attending it.
"GTA is an arrangement under the West Bengal State Legislature. If there is a review meeting it will be with the West Bengal government. Funds are also allotted by the Bengal government. Why this review meeting suddenly after all these years," questioned Thapa. The last review meeting for the GTA was held on January 29, 2015.
Thapa alleged that the BJP is continuing to hoodwink the Hill populace as they have been doing since 2009. "They are just playing the divide and rule game and the coalition will be a prey to this," added Thapa. In the later part of the day Binoy Tamang, president, GJM (Binoy faction) held a virtual press conference as he is in home quarantine since his security personnel tested positive.
"The GJM (Binoy) will not attend the meeting, nor will Anit Thapa. We will only attend a meeting if the Union government calls for a meeting with the one point agenda of Gorkhaland. We will write to the state and the Centre apprising them of our decision of not attending the talks in Delhi," stated Tamang.
The latter also appealed to all the political parties and apolitical organisations to unite under a collective leadership work towards achieving the aspiration of the Gorkhas in the form of Gorkhaland. He stated that Gorkha intellectuals from all over the country should be involved and it should be an intellectual exercise.
Tamang also demanded the review of the Indo-Nepal Friendship Treaty and the scrapping of Article 7 which would pave the path for Gorkhaland by clearly demarcating Indian Gorkhas and Nepalese citizens. When questioned on whether the GJM (Binoy) faction would continue with the GTA, Tamang stated: "The GTA is for development like the DGHC was. They are in no way obstacles for a separate state. Ladakh is an example of this. Despite an autonomous council being in place, Ladakh was granted a Union Territory status."
Regarding their alliance with the TMC that is against the separate state demand, Tamang added: "All parties that have a presence in Bengal including the BJP are against the division of Bengal. Let the BJP spell out Gorkhaland clearly. We have an alliance with the state government and TMC, as carving out a separate state is a Union subject and has nothing to do with the state."
