In spite of the differences that has cropped up between the ruling party in Bengal and of the Gorkhaland
Territorial Administration (GTA) headed by the state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the Chief
Executive Bimal Gurung respectively, yet there seems to be a common platform on which both the leaders
apparently adheres to for their respective political survival if they are to really rule their respective regions
for a long time to come.
Observers on one hand have questioned is the century long emotive cry for a creation of Gorkhaland among
the Gorkhas and on the other is the politically correct and popular adherence among the Bengalis that
“Bengal will not be divided”. Both these demands are populist and whoever can play this well to the gallery
can come to power in Darjeeling and to some extent also help a stakeholder to claim the crown in Writer’s
Building in Kolkata. The Bengalis do not wish to cede to the division of their state and on the other side
the Gorkhas feel their land never belonged to the state. Will Mamata Banerjee lose power in Kolkata if she
divides Bengal to create Gorkhaland and will Bimal Gurung be ousted if he does not blow the trumpet of
Gorkhaland from time to time?
Political observers revealed that both Banerjee and Gurung keeps harking based on their political moves to
keep their folks together and hence their respective regime in power.
Whenever the CM arrives in Darjeeling Hills she keeps on reminding the people of the Hills that Darjeeling
is a part of Bengal and on the other the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) leadership keeps sulking yet
in their common platform to achieve their means to their end both have been keeping cordial relationship
with each other as on 29 January when Mamata Banerjee again repeated that Darjeeling is a part of Bengal
it was not a new political mantra instead earlier too when the GJMM led Gorkhaland agitation was at its
peak, during that time too she had made such types of comments. Yet the GJMM and TMC have been
making efforts to keep their relationship amicable and stable within each other.
Hence the January 29 incident at Chowrastha in Darjeeling had also happened under political compulsion
from both sides. Now it is to be seen to which direction this political compulsions that had been driven
patiently so far take turn?
Notably on January 29 the CM’s repetition that Darjeeling is a part of Bengal from the very heart of
Darjeeling Hills in Chowrastaa had irked the assembled public that had gathered to hear her speak leading
them to once again chant the age old slogan of “We want Gorkhaland”. The resentment followed the CM
when she visited Kalimpong the same evening creating a political rift between Gurung and Banerjee. In
reply the very next day Gurung gave a fiery speech in Bijanbari in which he has threatened to launch an
intensified and bloody Gorkhaland agitation.
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