GJM chief Bimal Gurung: ‘If Gorkhaland demand is not met in five years, we will withdraw support (to PM Modi)’

We are certain that BJP will win in Darjeeling (Lok Sabha seat). We will win by a huge margin, but it will be less than the 2019 winning margin (4.13 lakh votes).

Q) Other hill parties like Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) and Hamro Party are supporting the TMC and INDIA bloc, respectively. Do you feel that Gorkha votes will be divided?

It is not right to say that Gorkha votes will get divided as these parties will talk about their agenda, while we will talk about ours. Parties like BGPM and Hamro Party indulged in corruption in the GTA (Gorkhaland Territorial Administration) and Darjeeling Municipality. Their leaders amassed money that came from either the state government or the Central government. People will give them a befitting reply to them in this election.

Q) The Gorkhaland demand was not mentioned in the BJP election manifesto this time. Were you happy with this?

The Gorkhaland issue was mentioned in previous BJP election manifestos. It was done with the knowledge of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Therefore, it is not required to put the demand in every election manifesto.

Q) The GJM has backed the BJP for the last 15 years. Yet the demand for Gorkhaland has not been met. You are once again supporting the BJP. What makes you think your demand will be met this time?

Fifteen years are nothing. We are ready to wait for 20 years. We are willing to wait if the government is serious about addressing the issue. Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji has come forward in this regard. We feel he should be given our support. If our demand is not met in the next five years, then we will withdraw our support. But we have to support those who are promising to meet our demand. We will not support those who are against our demand. I have worked for the Gorkha community all my life and I will continue to work for them.

Q) You supported the TMC in the 2021 Assembly polls. Why did you snap ties with the TMC?

We supported the TMC after agreeing to achieve a permanent political solution for Darjeeling hills. However, after coming to power in West Bengal for the third straight term, the TMC government did not hold a single meeting with us in this regard. Before the Assembly election, the TMC had assured us of reaching a permanent political solution. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee came to Darjeeling so many times after 2021, but she did not meet us even once. Before the Lok Sabha polls, I wrote a letter to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, saying that I wanted to meet them. But there was no response from them. I also wrote a letter to state Law Minister Moloy Ghatak. But they never responded to our letter. As we got no response from Mamata Banerjee, we moved ahead.

Q) Is the Gorkhaland demand getting crushed in the tussle between the TMC government in West Bengal and the BJP government at the Centre?

We have submitted everything to the Central government regarding our demand. There is no question of talking to the state government as it won’t listen to our demands. But we will stick to our political demand. That won’t be compromised.