Darjeeling, Oct. 4 -- Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) president Anit Thapa on Sunday said that there is no government in the Hills ever since his party relinquished the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).
Addressing a party workers' meeting organised by the BGPM's Sonada-Pachyang samashti, Thapa said: "We have not been defeated by relinquishing control of the GTA. We had consciously chosen to give up leadership in accordance with the wishes of the people to lend support to the Gorkhaland demand."
He launched a scathing attack on the alliance currently running the GTA. "The alliance running the GTA now has a greater responsibility to deliver on its promises. People voted for the alliance for Gorkhaland and because they believed that the assurances given would be fulfilled. However, within five months, people have understood the reality," he said. Thapa said people who had voted for the alliance were also beginning to reassess their decision. "There should always be a space in politics to raise one's voice. But that space itself has disappeared in the hills," he said.
He maintained that his politics had been based on creating a constructive environment rather than making unrealistic promises. "I never went to the people and took an oath about things that would not happen. I never said I would bring this or that. I did constructive politics to create an environment in the hills," he said.
Thapa expressed confidence that BGPM would return to power. "We have given up leadership now. We have not lost. At the appropriate time, BGPM will once again be the party in power," he said. He urged his supporters not to rush into political decisions. "Decisions should be taken when the water is clear and not murky; otherwise, you will be deceived..," he said.
Thapa, who was the chief executive of the GTA, along with the chairman and others, had resigned from the GTA. Following this, the state government appointed an administrator to the GTA. The administrator, along with 29 Sabhasads out of the 45, held a Sabha recently.
Thapa said the BGPM would keep its doors open to political workers. Three panchayat committee members - Vibha Gurung, Nikshen Tamang and Nita Shankar - also returned to the BGPM fold during Sunday's programme.
Meanwhile, the Gorkha Bharatiya Janajati Mahasangh organised a rally in Darjeeling town on Sunday, demanding the early fulfilment of the long-pending demand for Scheduled Tribe status for 11 Gorkha communities.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.