Fugitive leader of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), Bimal Gurung, who
still calls the shot in the politics of Darjeeling and surrounding
areas, is desperately trying to return to Darjeeling and participate in
the Lok Sabha election and help BJP candidate Raju Bista.
Bimal
Gurung has 30 criminal cases, including UAPA, slapped against him by the
government. These were registered in the aftermath of the 105-day
strike in June 2017. The strike had turned violent. Gurung has been on
the run for the past two years.
He
had petitioned the Supreme Court to allow him to participate in the
elections but the Supreme Court said it wants to know the status and
number of cases against him. Bimal Gurung says he wants to defeat the
Trinamool Congress candidate, Amar Singh Rai-- a GJM MLA, made to
contest in Trinamool Congress ticket.
Here is an excerpt from India Today TV's exclusive interview with Bimal Gurung.
Question: Is BJP candidate Raju Bista your candidate too?
Bimal Gurung: He
is a GJM-GNLF-BJP candidate for the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat. (GNLF
had been an arch rival of the GJM. But at present, both the parties have
joined hands to defeat the Trinamool Congress (TMC)).
What will be your role in 2019 Lok Sabha elections?
My
role will be that of a guardian and elder brother to guide the future
generation of the Gorkhas towards what's best for our community. Given
the strategic location of Darjeeling, Terai and Dooars, we need a party
with proven nationalistic credentials to win here.
As you are
aware, TMC has allowed Rohingya to settle down here and if they win in
the Lok Sabha polls, it will jeopardise our national security. I will
tell my people to vote in the interest of our nation, region and
community.
The state has appointed Binay Tamang and Anik
Thapa as the head of the GTA and they are claiming themselves to be the
real GJM. How can you mobilise voters being in the hideout?
A
hyena can claim to be a tiger all it wants, but at the end it remains a
filthy animal surviving on carcasses, same is the case with two. They
[Binay Tamang and Anik Thapa] can mobilise only those people whom they
were able to threaten with false cases. But majority see them as
traitors to the cause of Gorkhaland and are not with them.
Will you campaign? If yes, when?
I
don't need to do door-to-door campaigning. Right now I am busy devising
the campaign strategies and coordinating with grassroots workers. I may
address a few rallies but I will take a call when the need arises.
Why are you supporting the BJP? Was BJP MP SS Ahluwalia of no help when the three-month-old strike hit Darjeeling?
BJP
is a party with proven nationalistic credentials and has a track record
of creating smaller states. This is the most democratic party in the
country where a chaiwala can become the prime minister. I have firm
belief that BJP will fulfill our demand.
Ahluwalia ji might not
have been in the press box talking to you but he was always with us. He
is someone who prefers working away from the limelight.
What are the conditions you have set for BJP and Narendra Modi?
(Laughs)
You are making it sound like a business negotiation. They are
considerate about our demand and we are confident that with a majority,
in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, they will see fulfil our demands,
either by giving our region a constitutionally guaranteed autonomy, be
it in the form of a state or a Union territory.
Why did your MLA Amar Singh Rai decide to contest as TMC candidate? What was the provocation?
Money and desperate need to be recognised as someone important in the society. He is sold off.
A GNLF leader has been arrested for campaigning for BJP. Will you be able to mobilise your party to campaign in this scenario?
There
has been an illegal arrest of a tea garden trade union leader JB Tamang
as soon as GNLF announced alliance with us. The reason why we are
opposing TMC is because of this fascist attitude against people who
don't agree with them.
An undeclared emergency is reigning in the
region. Our freedom of speech and fundamental rights are being
curtailed. We will mobilise our people and will campaign and will always
stand up against dictatorship.
Things seem to be peaceful in the hills. Are the hills smiling?
Peace
in the hills is like the peace in a graveyard. Other than the living
dead no one is happy. But let me tell you Darjeeling, Terai and Dooars
won't just smile but will laugh after TMC and its stooges are defeated
in the election.
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