Gurung sounds panchayat poll bugle, slams ‘bhikhari’ govt

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Bimal Gurung today held a meeting with the Yuva Morcha — the youth wing of the party — at Kumai in Darjeeling district and urged them to be prepared to make an extreme sacrifice for the cause of Gorkhaland.

He said the government under Mamata Banerjee had become a "bhikhari government" and was always approaching the Centre with a "begging bowl". "How can such a government offer anything to the Gorkhas?" he asked.

A large number of Gorkha volunteers, belonging mostly to the Dooars and Terai units of the party, attended today's rally, where a beaming Gurung declared: "When I had convened this meeting, I had thought a small number of youths would turn up. But so many thousands have turned up to sow their commitment to the Gorkha cause."

Gurung not only ridiculed the Bengal government but also explained how Mamata was allegedly insulting the Gorkhas and hurting their sentiments by repeatedly saying that Bengal cannot be divided for Gorkhaland and that she was "rough and tough". He reminded Mamata that the Gorkhas would not be cowed down by such threats.

The GJM chief outlined the next course of action for the Yuva Morcha in the Dooars and Terai. He said the GJM would contest each and every panchayat seat in the region independently and display its strength.

Ridiculing the Justice Shyamal Sen committee's recommendations regarding inclusion of areas within the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA), Gurung said the government should have the courage to make public the report of the Verification Committee that was formed to look into the veracity of the recommendations.

He said the choice before the Bengal government was very clear now — either concede Gorkhaland or concede the 396 mouzas in Dooars and Terai to be merged with the GTA. The GJM will not settle for anything less, Gurung said. He added he would visit every area in the Dooars and Terai where the Gorkhas are settled and hold meetings.

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