Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) supremo, leading the protests for a separate ‘Gorkhaland’, on Thursday asked the people in Darjeeling to be prepared for the “final battle” for achieving the separate state.
"I urge the people to get prepared for the final battle as the time has come for a do or die fight if we want to achieve our dream of Gorkhaland," he said in a message from an undisclosed location circulated among the people of the hill town.
Gurung's message comes in the backdrop of the police raid at his premises at Singhmari and Patlebas here yesterday, in which more than 300 weapons, including arrows and explosives were recovered.
GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said, "Time for autonomy, GTA, DGHC is over. Now the fight will not stop until and unless our demand for Gorkhaland is fulfilled."
Jan Andolan Party (JAP) leader Harka Bahadur Chetricriticised the Mamata Banerjee government for trying to counter the movement by deploying security forces.
"It will further alienate the people in the hills. The solution cannot be found by deploying the police", Chetri, a former GJM MLA who had formed JAP, said, while stressing that a meeting should be called to tackle the situation.
"Our first demand too is Gorkhaland, but it should betaken forward through dialogue," he added.
Earlier today, Gurung accused the West Bengal Police and the Mamata Banerjee’s West Bengal government on unlawfully attacking his house and the party office.
"Administration has unlawfully attacked my house and our party office under the instructions of Mamata Banerjee. Such an attack on the house of GTA executive and on a registered political party office is very dangerous for democracy," Gurung said.
Gurung alleged that Trinamool Congress (TMC) cadres entered his home with the help of the police and the administration.
"TMC cadres entered my house with the help of the police and the administration. It is a dangerous political game. The way the TMC has done politics with the CPI-M, the BJP and the Congress, in the same way, they are acting in the hills," he said.
The demand by the GJM for a separate Gorkhaland state to be carved out of the Darjeeling hills of West Bengal state is fast turning into a major political crisis for Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee, and is likely to cripple the critical tourist industry during the peak summer season.
