Hits: 2381
Onetime unconditional supporter and ally of GJMM, the CPRM has now decided to phase out its relationship, categorically rejecting the Interim Council proposed by GJMM, and attempting to bring all the political parties on a single platform for the accomplishment of Gorkhaland. The person who always wants to remain in low profile, R.B. Rai, the general secretary of the Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists, divulges his thoughts to Udhyan Chamling Rai, DT correspondent as follows:
DT Correspondent: After your grand show on May Day, do you think CPRM has garnered more support of the people, what made you organize the programme to that extent?
RBRai: When GJMM was formed in 2007, we welcomed the new party wholeheartedly and supported it unconditionally because the new party emerged with the support of the masses. We were of the opinion that people should know Bimal Gurung and his party, and let him do the task he had promised to complete. However, the time they raised the unconstitutional issue, we protested straight away, such as the submission of other political flags, boycott of media etc. We always considered GJMM as our associates not contenders. We always remained in low profile while carrying out our political activities. We also considered the implication of ‘GJMM’S commitment of attaining Gorkhaland by March 10’, we would have been held responsible for their failure, because of our active political activities. Therefore, we decided to hold back all our activities till April 2010, we even skipped our Foundation Day in December despite the pressure from our own party. The specified deadline has expired along with their imaginary commitments and promises. We decided to engage ourselves to carry out our own activities. This was an organized and planned programme by us and will continue in future. Considering the weakness of the spearheading party or in general, henceforth, we will also take part in this agitation.
DT: Would you organize the programme solely or would CPRM conduct the programs jointly with all the political parties of the hills?
RBRai: We will function independently but the main force should be united. We believe, only collective agitation would be effective. We have to show our collective strength in Delhi and in Kolkata. Under the present circumstances of our agitation, we are in dire need of collective force, which is important.
DT: What is your response on the recent statement by Dr. Harka Bahadur Chettri that the CPRM was never an ally of GJMM nor will your Party affect them?
RBRai: {Laughs!}The question does not arise here with formal documentation and traditional package of betel-nuts for the friendship but it was a right political issue, so we honored it till it was maintained. We were there from first tripartite talks till the election for Jaswant Singh, I was personally requested by GJMM chief on the issue. We supported them unconditionally under mutual trust, whereas some parties boycotted votes.
There were some incidents: Ex-Army lathi-charge episode on State Assembly, Chatrey Subba etc., in which they accused me of being opportunistic. I do not know the reason for such accusations. The GJMM Chief himself closed the chapter of other hills political parties.
DT: How do you rate GJMM as a party?
RBRai: It is very difficult… apparently GJMM is a well equipped party, which includes Ex- IAS, Ex-WBCS officers, Brigadier, Colonel, Doctors etc., it has the best team but in politics effective functioning is very important, which they lack.
DT: Have you received any direct feedback from GJMM after your demonstration on May Day other than in the Newspapers?
RBRai: No, on the contrary, GJMM has scheduled to launch their programme in Rambuk CMD (Rangbul) constituency, to strengthen their roots in my constituency. Like in 1986, the agitation is not for Gorkhaland but to wipe out communists, the same pattern is being followed here to eradicate CPRM as directed by the Bengal Government. Directly or indirectly, the instructions are being followed, which is very sad.
DT: How do you react on the issue of financial irregularities of DGHC?
RBRai: DGHC is replete with unconstitutional and illegal activities. The Government is encouraging it to perform such acts to dilute our main cause.
DT: What is your opinion on Dooars and Tarai regions? Is it possible?
RBRai: We believe, it should be included, we cannot leave it behind. But our activities should not be limited in hills.
In democracy it is the people’s choice. Ananda Pathak had also raised the issue of separate council including Dooars and Tarai region, where majority of Gorkhas are present.
DT: Darjeeling people witnessed the new voluntary force, the Swyam Sevak Bahini like GLP on May Day, are they paid volunteers?
RBRai: They are simply the volunteers, which was formed in 2002, Seven thousands volunteers have been registered as Swyam Sevak Bahini, with the object to volunteer in tragedies based on our political ideology.
No they are not paid volunteers like GLP, they are called as and when required.
DT: Since you are also one time MP, now we have the Mr. Jaswant Singh as our MP, how do you find Mr. Jaswant as our MP?
RBRai: He was my colleague during my tenure of Parliament session, I have said in front of him that our people’s experiences is not pleasant regarding the MP from outside due to Indrajit Khullar. He is too big for a small place.
It was a very difficult period for us to convince our people to support him, he was supported by BJP, which is a religiously communal party and against our party’s principal, somehow, we had convinced our people for Gorkhaland and supported him. But after winning the election, neither GJMM nor Mr. Jaswant Singh thanked us, rather we were happy to make him win from our constituencies.
He is a responsible man, but, he could not succeed in this exam, he does not have any contribution to the people’s issues. He knows people of Darjeeling are very innocent and he is taking them for a ride.
Comments
Time to develop darjeeling and stop this gorkhaland nonsense......lets develop darjeeling hills make it a beautiful place.......study hard ,,,go to work in TCS,WIPRO,INFOS YS.....we are indian and we should love dhoti people.....we are also dhoti in a sense....so why all this gruntled sentiment about gorkhaland, why not a better beautiful darjeeling, our hills people becoming better engineers and doctors ,,working in bangalore and chennai,,,, there are so many of our youth who are engineers working in bangalore,,,,,l ets educate our hill people,,,,,lets start development and stop this Gorkhaland nonsense..........
IMPRESSING YOUR BENGALI BOSS AND RIMA HALDAR???? KHUN PANI BHAYO JASTO CHA NI PAISA KAMAUNU NAI JINDAGI HO BHANE NAAM PANI CHANGE GAR PARMANAD PAISA HALDAR RAKH. SINCE INDEPENDENCE KE DEVELOP BHAYO??? KUANAI RAMRO INSTITUTE YA MEDICAL COLLEGE KHOLEO??
though i am not a card carrying commie of 'revolutionary' variety...one thing i can gauze from this interview is that these guys seem to be for the long haul, whether you like it or not...
Now only if RB Rai could get elected and become a Union Minister, which portfolio would he choose - The PM's ???
Latest News
- Ma, Mati And A Shot At The Moon
- Anti-GJMM parties slam CM
- Parishad tie-up hint
- First NCC cadets expedition scales Mt Everest
- State education boards to introduce code system
- ISI cuffs on army clerk
- Stalemate over Bengal rural polls continues
- Issues outside official agenda likely to take important role in Darjeeling tri-partite meet.
- NCC combined annual training camp
- Google map for Saranda
