Muscle behind the movement

Sources in the police said the 16 GLP cadres arrested from villages in and around Takdah area on Monday have confessed to setting the forest house on fire to highlight the Gorkhaland movement. The arrests and subsequent confession have now forced the police and district administration to keep a strict vigil on the GLP camps,mostly located in remote forest areas.

A visit to a GLP camp reveals how its cadres are gearing up for the “final battle”.

“Three days ago we were called back to the camps by Bimal Daju (elder brother in Gorkha language). Most of us were working on temporary posts in the Gorkha Territorial Administration,” Padam Tamang,23,said.

A junior member of the GLP,he was working in the health department under the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration. “I worked there for six months. I used to earn Rs 5,000 per month. But with the movement gaining momentum and GTA losing its credence,we are back in the camp,” Tamang said. He is now living at Malidora camp with other 40 GLP cadres.

Gopiram Lamechani,a retired defence personnel who now works as an instructor at the camp said the force was raised to provide protection to the people fighting for the movement. “Bimal Gurung has told us to be prepared for the final fight,” he said,adding his “boys have done all kinds of picketing” in the hills.

Maneeta Rai,the leader of the GLP girl’s camp at Jamuni said,“All the girls who were at their homes or were doing jobs at other places are back in the camp. We have been asked to control the barracks (the local area where the camps are located). Some girls have also been told to join and lead the agitation in specific areas.”

Incidentally,the GLP —- a platoon of its cadres form Gurung’s security ring —- was initially named Gorkhaland Police and was renamed when the state authorities raised objections. When it came into existence as a volunteer force in 2008,it initially rendered social service. But soon it took to moral policing before transforming into a force that could,at a short notice,be pulled out of the camps to do anything and everything from blocking the roads and enforcing shutdowns to forcing residents not to pay government taxes,or even face police bullets by marching in prohibited areas of the Dooars and Terai regions.

At the peak of the movement,the GLP was 15,000 strong. Most of the cadres were in their early twenties and they were trained by 300 former Army men under the command of Col (Retd) Ramesh Alley.

When the GTA accord was signed,the Morcha leaders had demanded that the GLP cadres be absorbed in the paramilitary forces and in the West Bengal Police. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had agreed to the demand. However,no GLP cadre was recruited by the government.

The state police cites the “criminal background” of the GLP cadres for there not being absorbed into government service.

“How can the GLP cadres be absorbed in government service? Most of them have criminal cases registered against them. They are named in cases pertaining to blockades,rioting,arson. At least 400 cases are pending against the GLP cadres,” a senior police official,who did not wish to be named,said.

Volunteers,now Gurung’s army

What is GLP

A volunteer force of youngsters,formed in 2008 as Gorkhaland Police. It was later renamed Gorkha Land Personnel (GLP) when the state authorities raised objections.

The WORK

When it came into existence,it used to render social service. Soon it took to moral policing before transforming into a force that do anything and everything,from blocking the roads and enforcing shutdowns to forcing residents not to pay government taxes,or march in prohibited areas of the Dooars and Terai regions.

Strength

At the peak of the movement,it had 15,000 members. Now,conservative estimates put it at 10,000 — most of the cadres being in early twenties.

Home secy to talk to GJM leaders today

Kolkata: West Bengal Home Secretary Basudeb Banerjee left for Darjeeling on Monday to hold meetings with the GJM leaders and the district officials on Tuesday. In Kolkata,Chief Minister Mamata Banejree asked the

administration to adopt a tough stand in dealing with those indulging in arson and violent activities in the hills.

Now,a PIL against bandh in darjeeling

Kolkata: A PIL has sought

judicial intervention into the

indefinite bandh called by the GJM in Darjeeling in support of a separate Gorkhaland. The petition,filed in the Calcutta High Court Monday,urged the court

to declare the bandh as “unconstitutional” and “illegal” as it

was “forcibly enforced on people”. Stating that the state had failed to restore normalcy in public life,advocate Rama Prasad Sarkar requested the Division Bench of Chief Justice Arun Mishra and Justice Joymalya Bagchi to intervene in the interest of the locals. The court asked Sarkar to serve the petition to other parties.

Gurung rules out talks with Bengal govt

DARJEELING: GJM president Bimal Gurung Monday ruled out any talks with the Mamata Banerjee government and warned that the TMC dispensation will be responsible for any untoward incident in the hills. “Any incident can happen. The state government will be responsible for it,” Gurung said in Kalimpong. Reiterating that the Morcha will only talk to the Centre,Gurung said,“There will be no negotiation (with West Bengal government). We want Gorkhaland.”