Gorkhaland: CPRM asks people to join their upcoming Jantar Mantar dharna

DARJEELING,: The Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxist (CPRM) is gearing up to hold a dharna in Delhi next month for Statehood demand. The party today put up posters and distributed pamphlets here asking people to join them in their programme.

“The CPRM has planned to hold a dharna at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on February 9 and 10 this year. The Parliament session will start from February and every year during that period we try to put across our demands to the government. We have conducted this programme regularly since 1998,” said CPRM spokesperson Arun Ghatani adding that until their demand of Statehood is met, they would continue such programmes.

“We are presently publicizing our program to be held in Delhi for which we had also met Gorkha Janmukti Morcha president Bimal Gurung and the Indian Gorkha Janshakti Front leader Ajoy Edwards. We are trying to put across the message that this demand cannot be achieved by us working for it alone. We feel that everyone should unite to work for it and have asked them to participate in our programme involve their cadres,” said Ghatani. He maintained that the demand of Statehood was of every Gorkha spread all over the country.

The CPRM leader added that they have also appealed to different organizations and people living in different parts of India to be a part of their program.

When asked about BJP being an alliance party of the CPRM in the past polls, Ghatani said, “The Gorkha people have been supporting the BJP in the different elections since 2009 mainly for our demand as they have been promising that they will fulfil it. Since they came to power, senior leaders of their party including the Prime Minister and the home minister have also committed themselves to fulfilling our demand but in spite of that, many are feeling that nothing has happened.”

“But we cannot even say that as there seems to be a stalemate type of situation after the 2017 agitation here. The State government at that time forced the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration to run here even though the people here do not want it. The Centre and the State should try to resolve the matter by bringing a solution for the Gorkhas or the situation in the hills could turn for the worse,” said Ghatani.

He maintained that the BJP, during their 2019-2024 tenure, had called a tripartite meeting for the issue followed by another such meeting in March 2025 but with the State government not attending it, a solution could not come forward.

“However, in other places where such issues are being raised the Centre are initiating talks with them which makes us question if the Gorkhas are being fooled or not which is why we are holding this program at Delhi this time. The only reason we have been supporting the BJP is for our demand but if we do not get anything then we feel that there is nothing to be gained by having an alliance with the BJP,” said Ghatani maintaining that this program was also to try and create pressure on the centre for their demand.