Didi draws 2-pronged strategy to quell crisis
PLAN Create rift among agitators, cut off supply lines from the plains
:The Mamata Banerjeeled Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in West Bengal has devised a two-pronged strategy to quell the crisis in Darjeeling hills and to isolate the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), which is spearheading the agitation.
The first part of the strategy entails creating a rift among the agitators by using representatives of all the 15 development boards set up for different communities in the hills.
Secondly, the state government wants to use the ongoing GJM agitation to cut off the hills’ ration supply line from the plains in a bid to push the agitators on the back foot. This, the state government believes will isolate GJM from the other hill communities and will eventually force them to surrender and come to the negotiating table.
A veiled hint about the possibility of cutting off the ration supply was given by the chief minister herself on Saturday when she said if the unrest continues then sending rations or essential commodities to hills from the plains will become difficult.
“I wonder how the supply line will get normal if trouble persists. So, I request all to stop this violence and call off the strike. Once the strike is called off, we are ready for talks,” she said.
As part of the first part of the strategy, office bearers of the development boards will be asked to persuade their followers to break away from the ongoing GJM-led agitation for a separate Gorkhaland state.
The strategy was chalked out at a high-level meeting at the state secretariat, Nabanna, on Saturday afternoon. The meeting was chaired by the chief minister and attended by the head of the 15 development boards, senior members of cabinet, top bureaucrats and police officers.
A senior bureaucrat said that since the hills are dependent on the plains for ration and other essential commodities, it will not be possible for the GJM to continue with their strike for an indefinite period.
Once the supply is dried up, he said, “They will have no other option but to call of the strike and come for negotiation.”
The fresh agitation in the hills has been sparked by fears of Bengali being imposed in schools in the GJM-administered areas where a majority of the people are Nepali-speaking.
Though the government clarified that Bengali will be an optional subject, the GJM refused to back down and instead revived the almost 100year-old demand for a separate Gorkhaland.
The official said the situation in the hills aggravated as many non-Gorkhas who claim allegiance to the development boards constituted for their communities joined hands with the GJM.
“Heads of these development boards have been asked to persuade their people to disassociate from the agitation and violence,” the official said, “Once the number of agitators starts dwindling, the protest is bound to subside.”
Tamsang Lepcha, head of Mayel Lyang Lepcha Development Board, biggest and most influential among the 15 bodies, told Hindustan Times that a committee comprising members of these boards, constituted to restore peace in the hills, will speak to people and persuade them to shun violence and call off strike.