Gorkha Janmukti Morcha

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha
Chairperson	Bimal Gurung
Secretary-General	Roshan Giri
Founded	2007
Headquarters	North Point, Singamari, Darjeeling, India
Website
www.gorkhajanmuktimorcha.org
Politics of India Political parties Elections

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM or GJMM) (Nepali: गोर्खा जनमुक्ति मोर्चा) is a registered political party^[1] which campaigns for the creation of a separate state (Gorkhaland) within India, out of districts in the north of West Bengal. The party was launched on 7 October 2007.^[2]

Evolution

Bimal Gurung, a former GNLF councillor of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, fell out with Subhash Ghisingh for “opposing the Sixth Schedule status for the hills and for his speeches against Subhash Ghisingh, the party president”.^[3][4] Gurung who was considered one of the most powerful leaders of the hills, stated to oppose the Sixth Schedule bill even though it had received Cabinet approval in the Indian Parliament.^[4] He founded GJM on 7 October 2007.^[2] The aims and the objectives of the new party was to “fight for the democratic right of the Indian Gorkhas living in India and (to) work unitedly for the creation of separate state for the people residing in the three Hill Sub-Division of Darjeeling, Siliguri Terai and Dooars areas.^[1]

Opposition of the Sixth Schedule

GJM’s opposition of the Sixth Schedule and demand for Gorkhaland was supported by luminaries like Dr Mahendra P Lama,^[5] Vimal Khawas,^[6] and other parties as well, viz. the Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists (CPRM), the BJP, the Congress and the Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League (ABGL). The BJP organized an all-party meet attended by ABGL, the CPRM, the Congress, the Gorkha Rashtriya Congress, the Trinamool Congress, the GJM and the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh (BGP), which adopted a resolution asking the state to drop the Sixth Schedule proposal and remove Ghisingh as caretaker administrator of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC).^[7] The Hill parties did not want the Sixth Schedule as Clause 11 of the Sixth Schedule stated “this in principle Memorandum of Settlement is the full and final settlement of the Darjeeling Hill Areas issue and no further demands in this regard would be entertained”.^[8] GJM burnt copies of the 1988 Memorandum of Settlement^[9] which had categorically stated, “the GNLF agree to drop the demand for a separate State of Gorkhaland”,^[10] thereby reviving the century old demand of Gorkhaland.^[11] The GNLF tried stalling the GJM through various means, and an FIR was also lodged against the party president Bimal Gurung for the attack on a former DGHC councilor K.B. Gurung, but anticipatory bail was granted to Bimal Gurung.^[12] GJM observed hunger strikes,^[13] indefinite strikes^[14] and prevented locally produced goods from reaching the rest of Bengal,^[15] as a protest against the imposition of the Sixth Schedule and for the removal of Subhash Ghisingh. A team was also deputed to New Delhi to apprise the national leaders about the general consensus of the people of the DGHC area because of which, Mr L.K. Advani refused to support Mr. Buddhadeb Bhattacharya’s bid to push Darjeeling into Sixth Schedule.^[16] The Bharatiya Janata Party’s refusal of the sixth schedule status for DGHC pushed it to the Parliamentary Committee.^[17] The Parliamentary Committee in its findings suggested that “the Ministry of Home Affairs is required to make a fresh assessment of the ground realities all over again before proceeding with the Bills in the two Houses of Parliament”.^[18] The Sixth Schedule bill was thus put in the back burner. The only supporter of the Sixth Schedule, Subhash Ghisingh,^[19] was banned from entering the hills.^[20] Ghisingh was finally forced to resign on 10 March 2008 as DGHC caretaker.^[21]

Demand for the separate state of Gorkhaland

Proposed Gorkhaland map

The demand for a separate state for the Gorkhas within India is more than 100 years old.^[22] "The name "Gorkhaland" is claimed to have been coined by Subhash Ghisingh on 5 April 1980, cf., his speech of 7 September 1989 at Darjeeling".^[23] After a violent agitation in the 1980s, which claimed more than 1200 lives in the hills,^[24] Subhash Ghisingh settled for the DGHC.

After a lull of Ghisingh's 20 years rule,^[25] the demand for Gorkhaland was again revived by GJM under the leadership of Bimal Gurung.^[26] The total area of the proposed state is 6246 km² and comprises Banarhat, Bhaktinagar, Birpara, Chalsa, Darjeeling, Jaigaon, Kalchini, Kalimpong, Kumargram, Kurseong, Madarihat, Malbazar, Mirik and Nagarkatta.^[27] Unlike the 1980s, GJM has maintained that the struggle for Gorkhaland would be through non-violence and non-cooperation.^[28]

GJM initially resorted to bandhs, hunger strikes and non-payment of utility bills to further their demand.^[29] It was quite enough to get the attention of the State Government, who invited them to Kolkata for bipartite talks.^[30] GJM refused to attends the talks as the state Government had set preconditions that they would discuss developmental issues but not Gorkhaland.^[31] The Chief Minister extended the invitation again and denied having set any preconditions for the talks.^[32]

The first tripartite talks between Government of India, Government of West Bengal and leaders of the Hill Parties headed by GJM was held on 8 September 2008.^[33] The hill delegation also submitted a 51-page memorandum to the Union Home Secretary, Government of India.

"The demand for a separate state within the Constitutional framework and within the Indian Union, consisting of Darjeeling District and the Dooars region of West Bengal is arguably the oldest and most outstanding demand in the country today. This demand for separate statehood is founded on the bedrock of a historical, economic and political rationale. Against the backdrop of socio-economic exploitation, political and cultural hegemony, misgovernance and exclusion, the demand has become an expression of the ingrained and deep rooted aspirations of the people to secure to themselves, and to their succeeding generations, the right to determine their own future."^[34]

Lok Sabha election 2009

Jaswant Singh, the BJP candidate, supported by the GJM, won the Darjeeling constituency Lok Sabha election 2009 defeating his nearest rival Jibesh Sarkar of the CPI(M) by a margin of over 2.5 lakh votes. The GJM had supported the BJP in lieu of the latter's positive outlook towards the formation of Gorkhaland as mentioned in their party manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections.

BJP (Jaswant Singh) 4,96,935 votes CPI(M) (Jibesh Sarkar) 2,43,766 votes Congress (Dawa Narbula) 1,87,555 votes

Madan Tamang

On 21 May 2010, Madan Tamang, the Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League leader and a vocal opponent of GJM, was attacked near the Planters Club, Darjeeling by suspected GJM Three people attacked Tamang directly and one of them hacked him with a sharp weapon. He was rushed to the Darjeeling District Hospital where he soon died.^[35] A few days later on 25 May, hundreds of mourners joined his funeral procession in Darjeeling.^[36]

After the murder, the West Bengal government threatened action against Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, whose senior leaders were named in the police FIR,^[37] meanwhile hinting discontinuation of ongoing talks over interim arrangement with the Gorkha party, saying it had "lost popular support following the assassination".

Shibshu firing

On 8 February 2011, three GJM activists were shot dead at Shibshu (one of whom succumbed to her injuries later) by the police as they tried to enter Jalpaiguri district on a padyatra led by Bimal Gurung from Gorubathan to Jaigaon. This led to violence in the Darjeeling hills and an indefinite strike was called by GJM that lasted 9 days.^[38]

West Bengal assembly elections 2011

GJM candidates won three Darjeeling hill seats in the West Bengal state assembly election, 2011 held on 18 April 2011. Trilok Dewan won from Darjeeling constituency,^[39] Harka Bahadur Chhetri from Kalimpong constituency, and Rohit Sharma from Kurseong constituency.^[40] Wilson Champramari, an independent candidate supported by GJM, also won from Kalchini constituency in the Dooars.^[41]

Gorkhaland Territorial Administration

After three and a half years of agitation for a state of Gorkhaland, the GJM reached an agreement with the state government to form a semi-autonomous body that will replace the DGHC to administer the Darjeeling hills.^[42] A bill for the creation of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) will be introduced in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly soon. The GTA will have administrative, executive and financial powers but no legislative powers. The Memorandum of Agreement for GTA was signed on 18 July 2011 at Pintail Village near Siliguri in the presence of Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leaders.^[43] The agreement was signed by West Bengal Home Secretary G.D. Gautama, Union Home Ministry Joint Secretary K.K. Pathak and GJM general secretary Roshan Giri.^[44]

On 29 October 2011, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad (ABAVP), Dooars Unit signed an 18-point agreement at Mongpong, after which these organizations jointly proposed a new administrative body called the Gorkhaland and Adivasi Territorial Administration (GATA) in place of the GTA.^[45]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} http://www.gorkhajanmuktimorcha.org/constitution.php
2. ^ ^{a b} http://www.darjeelingtimes.com/news/News/GJM-announced-its-members.html
3. ^ Joel Rai Tags : Posted: Thu 12 Jun 2008, 22:45 hrs (12 June 2008). "Redrawing the map of Gorkhaland". The Indian Express. India. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/redrawing-the-map-of-gorkhaland/321606/. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
4. ^ ^{a b} "The Telegraph – Calcutta : North Bengal & Sikkim". The Telegraph. Kolkota, India. 2 October 2007. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1071002/asp/siliguri/story_8385861.asp. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
5. ^ http://www.darjeelingtimes.com/news/News/Sooner-or-later-Sixth-Schedule.html
6. ^ http://www.darjeelingtimes.com/news/news/Darjeeling-Hills-and-the-Project-of-Sixth-Schedule.html
7. ^ "Hill parties rally behind GJM". Timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 24 February 2008. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Kolkata/Hill_parties_rally_behind_GJM/articleshow/2808963.cms. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
8. ^ Darjeeling-Dooars People and Place under Bengal’s Neo-Colonial Rule: D.S. Bomjan; P. 128
9. ^ Our Correspondent (16 November 2007). "Sixth Schedule explained". The Telegraph. Kolkota, India. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1071116/asp/siliguri/story_8552576.asp. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
10. ^ Memorandum of settlement Tri-partite agreement signed between the GNLF, Govt. of India and West Bengal Government on 25 July 1988
11. ^ "Pro-Gorkhaland statehood demos resurface". Kantipuronline.com. http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=127948. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
12. ^ "Darjeeling affected for third day". The Hindu. India. 26 November 2007. http://www.hindu.com/2007/11/26/stories/2007112658310500.htm. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
13. ^ "Fall from grace". The Hindu. India. 3 November 2007. http://www.hindu.com/fline/fl2506/stories/20080328250604000.htm. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
14. ^ "Strike paralyses life in Darjeeling". The Hindu. India. 21 February 2008. http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200802211941.htm. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
15. ^ "GJM announces economic blockade in West Bengal". The Hindu. India. 18 February 2008. http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/18/stories/2008021850870700.htm. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
16. ^ "Advani spanner in CM Hills Bill plan". Timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 4 December 2007. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Kolkata/Advani_spanner_in_CM_Hills_Bill_plan/articleshow/2593311.cms. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
17. ^ Our Correspondent (19 February 2008). "Ghising tastes his own medicine". The Telegraph. Kolkota, India. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080219/jsp/frontpage/story_8921207.jsp. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
18. ^ The Story of Darjeeling: Basant B Lama; Pg. 348
19. ^ Express news service (20 February 2008). "Indefinite Bandh in Darjeeling till demand for statehood met: Morcha". The Indian Express. http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Indefinite-bandh-in-Darjeeling-till-demand-for-statehood-met-Morcha/275035/. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
20. ^ Ghising knocks at CM's door
21. ^ "Ghising Quits as an administrator". The Hindu. India. 11 March 2008. http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/11/stories/2008031160031200.htm. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
22. ^ Gorkhaland
23. ^ Sikkim & Darjeeling: Division and Deception; Dr. Sonam B. Wangyal; Pg. 153, See Footnotes
24. ^ "The Cause Kicks The Rebel". Tehelka.com. http://www.tehelka.com/story_main38.asp?filename=Ne220308the_cause.asp. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
25. ^ "Opinion / News Analysis : New drumbeats in the Darjeeling hills". The Hindu. India. 15 March 2008. http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/15/stories/2008031555871100.htm. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
26. ^ http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=127948
27. ^ Map of Gorkhaland^{[dead link]}
28. ^ "GJM places demands, Buddhadeb says no division of West Bengal". The Hindu. India. 9 May 2008. http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200805091970.htm. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
29. ^ "GJM to stage hunger strikes from Thursday". The Hindu. India. 30 April 2008. http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200804301523.htm. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
30. ^ Bengal govt-GJM talks on 27 June
31. ^ "West Bengal: GJM rejects talks offer". In.rediff.com. 13 June 2008. http://in.rediff.com/news/2008/jun/13darj.htm. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
32. ^ "Buddhadeb invites GJM for talks again". Ndtv.com. 19 June 2008. http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/StoryPrint.aspx?ID=NEWEN20080053587&ch=633637712584165000. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
33. ^ "Tripartite talks for Gorkhaland begins today .". The Indian Express. 9 September 2008. http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Tripartite-talks-for-Gorkhaland-begins-today/358691/. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
34. ^ "51 Page memorandum submitted by GJM during the Tripartite Meeting at New Delhi". Mygorkhaland.wordpress.com. http://mygorkhaland.wordpress.com/2008/10/28/51-page-memorandum-submitted-by-gjm-during-the-tripartite-meeting-at-new-delhi/. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
35. ^ As Told To Vivek Chhetri In Darjeeling. (24 May 2010). "Boy who delivered the killer blow". The Telegraph. Kolkota, India. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100524/jsp/frontpage/story_12481252.jsp. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
36. ^ "Madan Tamang's body taken out in massive procession". The Hindu. India. 25 May 2010. http://www.hindu.com/2010/05/25/stories/2010052555551600.htm. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
37. ^ "Tamang's murder threatens to derail Gorkhaland talks". Timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 26 May 2010. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Tamangs-murder-threatens-to-derail-Gorkhaland-talks/articleshow/5974887.cms. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
38. ^ PTI (8 February 2011). "Two killed in police firing on GJM protesters". The Hindu. India. http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/other-states/article1168129.ece?homepage=true. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
39. ^ "GJM wins Darjeeling constituency by record margin of votes". Hindustan Times. India. 14 May 2011. http://www.hindustantimes.com/GJM-wins-Darjeeling-constituency-by-record-margin-of-votes/Article1-697453.aspx. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
40. ^ "GJM wins three Assembly seats in Darjeeling". Zeenews.com. 13 May 2011. http://www.zeenews.com/news706214.html. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
41. ^ Last Updated: 18 Oct 18:58 pm IST. "GJMM to finalise stand today". The Statesman. India. http://thestatesman.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=369474&catid=72. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
42. ^ "Darjeeling issue solved: Mamata". The New Indian Express. India. 8 June 2011. http://expressbuzz.com/nation/darjeeling-issue-solved-mamata/282219.html. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
43. ^ "Darjeeling tripartite pact signed for Gorkhaland Territorial Administration". Timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 18 July 2011. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Darjeeling-tripartite-pact-signed-for-Gorkhaland-Territorial-Administration/articleshow/9263963.cms. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
44. ^ "Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Agreement Signed". News.outlookindia.com. http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?728097. Retrieved 19 October 2011. 
45. ^ http://zeenews.india.com/news/delhi/plea-to-rename-gorkha-council_738966.html Plea to Rename Gorkha Council