In the context of the split among autonomous Gorkhland Territorial Administration (GTA) leaders and the resultant confusion, Mr. Gurung’s proposed march could well be a damp squib. The Trinamool Congress-ruled (TMC) West Bengal government has not bothered to express any reaction to his call as yet. A Home department official says, ’It appears Mr. Gurung is speaking more for effect than substance, seeking to keep his dwindling flock of followers in line.’

The disarray within Gorkha ranks became exposed during an explosive interview given by Mr. Harka Bahadur Chhetri, senior GTA leader and former MLA, on the electronic media. The Kalimpong-based leader happens to be the most articulate among the present clutch of North Bengal hill leaders, enjoying a big lead in terms of educational/professional qualifications vis-à-vis men like Gurung and others.

Explaining the genesis of the GTA split and its present internal crisis, Mr, Chhetri revealed how Mr. Gurung and his coterie had not allowed the elected GTA body, which enjoys a wide range of autonomous powers, to function effectively. This had resulted in funds made available by the West Bengal Government for various schemes being neither properly utilised, nor even spent at all, at times.

Yet, Mr Gurung and his lobby of loyalists continue to harp on the shopworn theme of ‘Bengal neglecting the hills’, particularly in Darjeeling and adjacent areas.

Significantly, Mr, Chhetri now calls for a separate autonomous region to be set up at his home territory, Kalimpong. The town and its neighourhood has some unique advantages and economic potential especially in sericulture, medicinal plants, herbs, timber , tea and other items that are not available elsewhere.

Yet, under the GTA, only Darjeeling and its suburbs had been allotted the bulk of all funds received for development of the North Bengal hills, said Chhetri, with Kalimpong getting short shrift. He cited several instances of how the GTA was misfunctioning.

Although proper allocations had been made by the state Government for water supply and road building, the sums were never announced in public, and mostly remained unspent. Even a proposed World Bank assistance had been returned because no work had been undertaken at the local level. Mr. Gurung’s standard reply to the people was,’Once we get Gorkhaland, we will have everything.’

The number of local government workers was around 6000, including over 500 teachers. They had been promised confirmation, but nothing had been done yet, even if official arrangements had been made. GTA leaders were more concerned about the’ Darjeeling to Delhi padayatra (march) for Gorkhaland’, said. Mr. Chhetri. It seemed Mr. Gurung was more concerned in building a new Gandhi-type image for himself, rather than doing the work that was assigned to him and others as administrators running the hill region.

During his tenure as an elected MLA, Mr, Chhetri had persuaded the State government to sanction a sum for a scheme to develop sericulture and related small industries. He was about to head the new sericulture wing, in view of his experience. Mr. Gurung did not allow him to assume the post and the money remained unspent.

The state Government revealed that it had allotted Rs 10 crore for the development of agriculture in the hills, in reply to a question from him in an Assembly session. Mr, Chhetri said news of this allotment was not announced even within the GTA, much to his surprise and anger. He began to feel that enough was enough, he would get nowhere at this rate with this kind of functioning, said Mr. Chhetri.

Under a party directive, to protest against the alleged ‘neglect’ of the hills by the West Bengal Government, he resigned with two other MLAs, but could not help feeling that there was a deliberate attempt not to co-operate with Kolkata, but to mislead people and excite them against the state government.

Interestingly enough, Darjeeling’s BJP MP S.S. Ahluwalia, who is supposed to have supported the case for a separate state, was never asked to resign, for reasons unknown, he said.

Given the present set-up, it would be possible to develop Kalimpong as an autonomous sub-division with adequate economic means of its own, he claimed. Even smaller units, both in terms of population and area, had been created in Jammu and Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh, he pointed out.

Other than confirming the proposed anti West Bengal march to Delhi, other GTA sources would not comment on Mr, Chhetri’s accusations in Kolkata. Some observers suggested that in view of his close relations with the ruling TMC, he could well be offered a berth or even join the TMC. Mr. Chhetri, who has been addressing regular public meetings and rallies in Kalimpong to ‘explain’ his side of things, causing Mr. Gurung and his followers much embarrassment, declined comments on such reports.

With the TMC Government now working out separate development schemes for projects for older settled groups like Bhutiyas, Lepchas and others in the Darjeeling hills and coming under attack from within his own followers, Mr. Gurung’s present position and future prospects look grim.

By way of replying to Mr. Chhetri’s campaign, his sole answer has been that the Kalimpong ex MLA was a ‘betrayer’. Being more educated, his so-called advisers had at times misled him, Mr. Gurung further alleged, pointing evidently at Mr Chhetri.

With the BJP-ruled centre keeping a close watch on developments, champions for a separate state cannot look forward to achieving major gains in the short or medium term, as things now stand. (IPA Service)