India's Hon. P.M Narendra Modi's visit to Nepal might make strategic sense to some, but by overlooking an important internal matter, he might have unwittingly stirred a hornet's nest. A permanent political solution to the demand of a separate state within India - Gorkhaland.
The Hills of North Bengal post the Civic Body Elections, which was won by the Hamro Party, a new outfit that has totally no experience in the field of administration and is a proxy of the state government and have not made any difference ever since they won the municipal elections. Credible sources from the Ministry of Home Affairs claim they have evidence of a payoff took place between the leader of the Haamro Party and a high-ranking member of the TMC, the party that governs the state, in order to muzzle the biggest threat to her agenda and ego. The leader of the GJMM-Bimal Gurung. 'The Hamro Party cannot even handle a small town; how are they going to handle a vast territory, ask local residents. They have demonstrated little credibility even in cleaning up Darjeeling 2 months into winning the municipal elections. Sources also claimed that the municipal elections were rigged to suit a certain upcoming narrative.
It is high time that New Delhi woke up to the fact that Darjeeling is positioned geographically facing international borders and the influx of illegal migrants from Bangladesh and the presence of increasing Kashmiri's in Darjeeling and Kalimpong may pose a direct threat to national security.
Looking within is as important as looking outward as the hills are about to simmer to stand up for a cause that is perfectly within the legal framework.
Bimal Gurung today may be a fallen man but it may take only one spark to ignite him again.
The GTA elections need to be called off and New Delhi has to intervene as they make little sense without addressing the issue of Gorkhaland. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, Gurung's party, is not contesting the elections. which screams a question to New Delhi?
Where have all the promises and manifestos vanished?
(The author is a neurosurgeon based in New York )
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