Political activities in the hills - gears up!

Darjeeling: Winter parliament session over for this year but the Sixth Schedule Bill for Darjeeling hills could not enter the parliament house. At the same time, people of Darjeeling hills were expecting the protest and Bandh from GNLF against failure to include Sixth Schedule bill, as claimed by GNLF top leaders earlier. On the contrary, Aitaraj Dewan, secretary, Darjeeling branch, virtually denied such programs by GNLF. “There is no such program proposed by GNLF as of now”, confirmed Mr. A Dewan.

Political activities in the Darjeeling hills already at its best. Several public meetings are being organised in different parts of the hills and the GNLF, of course, is ahead of other parties.

GNLF supreme, Mr. Subash Ghising, meanwhile, has increased his public appearance in the last one and a half months and observers believe that his party, the GNLF, has already started campaigning. Mr. Ghisingh is busy inaugurating community halls, roads, and other projects in the hills. Even after his visit to Delhi, could not push the Sixth Schedule Bill in this winter parliament session. However, Mr. Ghisingh is not blaming either the Centre or the state government for this, perhaps realizing that any wrong statement would irk the policy makers in New Delhi and Kolkata.

The demand for tax exemption to the Darjeeling hills under the Sixth Schedule has perhaps caused the state government to delay the process of issuing gazette notification, according to GNLF leaders.

Meanwhile, Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha-league (ABGL) has decided to concentrate on door-to-door campaigning in rural areas. “We are also getting ready for the elections and have decided to focus on the villages. We will start our campaign from Basbotey in Bijanbari block, Takdha block and more specifically the Teesta Valley areas,” said Madan Tamang, president, ABGL. A public meeting of the party will be held there.

“The GNLF knows when the election will take place and they have definitely started the groundwork. We are ready for elections and will demand a free and fair election,” said Mr. Tamang.

Tamang, who is also the chairman of the People Democratic Front (PDF), maintained that the anti-Ghisingh coalition was of the opinion that Opposition votes should not be divided.

Sixth Schedule was the brain-child of Mr. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee (CM, Bengal) and not Mr. Subash Ghisingh, as per Mr. Madan Tamang. Opposition parties are in favour of an early DGHC election in the hills.