Madan Tamang - President All India Gorkha League
Where do you find ABGL in the present political scenario?
Six months ago we were the only ones to protest against the implementation of Sixth Schedule. Haven’t our stand been vindicated today. Today the entire Hills are against it. Today, Gorkha League is the major force since every political party is joining hands in support of our protest against Sixth Schedule status for the Hills.
Gorkha Janmukti Morcha within three months of its formation sent a delegation to New Delhi? Why hasn’t Gorkha League been able to do something like that?
Even if they have been to New Delhi what have they been able to achieve?
Will the Sixth Schedule Bill be passed in this Winter Session?
Yes, as things seems to us. What you must understand is that the Sixth Schedule is an Official Bill, there is no question of whether it will be passed or not. It is only the question of when. If it were not to be passed the Central Government itself will collapse as it would amount to No-Confidence Motion. It will thence be passed. That is why we are opposing it since it is being enforced in the Darjeeling Hills against the will of the people.
You had yourself said in a speech that if the Sixth Schedule Bill was passed you would go and plunge to death in River Teesta?
Have I said that? I think what I had said was that I was ready to go and sacrifice my life in River Teesta if the Bill was passed by I had also asked them (GNLF) if the Bill was not passed were they ready to do the same.
Weren’t you able to stop Sixth Schedule Bill in the Parliament in all these months?
We had been able to stop the Sixth Schedule Bill for almost 24 months and we were the only one.
It is believed that a Public Interest Litigation be brought against the Bill. What is your opinion on the issue?
We are trying to educate the people. Besides that we cannot call for 96 hours closure or dance around the streets with khukuris. Gorkha League is not that sort of a party. We are a responsible political party. We were working slowly and steadily. The game of politics is a game of patience.
If Sixth Schedule was hypothetically passed in this session and an Interim Council formed under the supervision of Subash Ghisingh to look after the Sixth Schedule election six months later, would ABGL contest in the Sixth Schedule Election?
I doubt whether election will be called or not. Why talk about hypothetical situations? If GJM and CPRM are ready to contest Sixth Schedule election then all they can think of is get Chairmanship. I am talking about a greater movement. ABGL vies for Gorkhaland.
What about Unification of ideologies and a unified opposition to Sixth Schedule?
We were the one to call for Collective Leadership and Joint Programme even before a long time. Collective Leadership will protect from an individual leader from being compromised.
Then would that lead to Lord Brahma syndrome where each head faces a different direction and thinks in that manner (separately)?
There is no such example in the history. All movements and revolutions are fought under Collective Leadership. For example, Meghalaya became a state under the flag of All Party Hill Leaders Conference. Similarly, Nagaland became a state under the collective leadership of People’s Conference. We are working towards Collective Leadership and joint programme. We were the one’s to bring Anti-Subash wave. This has been cashed on by the other parties. What today is being seen is only euphoria. We have there before there since decades and we will be here in the future.
No comments:
Post a Comment