Gurung Has Promised the Sun

Nidhu Bhusan Das

It’s wise not to promise to pluck the sun for gifting to the people.Only those who don't know their limitations make such unrealizable commitment. Science tells us the sun is inaccessible; the mythological tale of Icarus’ futile attempt confirms it.Leaders who, from time to time, spearheaded the “Gorkhaland Agitation” may not have tried to find the wisdom in the aphorism:Fools rush where angels fear to tread.

However,it may not be wise to take them to be fools.Rather they appear to be sufficiently worldly wise.While most of the common hill people, meek,gentle and credulous,are incredibly poor,the political elite live in affluence.

Penury versus affluence is the stark reality in the hills.Hegemony has helped sustain the scenario.Hence one-party hegemony is the norm in Darjeeling Politics.Whenever such an hegemony faces challenge or financial audit is sought to be initiated,the hegemony stirs into action and force the innocent people to respond to their call to shut the hills to the perils of the commoners and their untold misery.

Is it possible for Mr. Gurung and his loyalists to give the people of the hill the eldorado of Ghorkhaland?Why is such a demand? What good has they been able to deliver to the common people with the fund made available to the GTA? Mr. Gurung should co-operate with the State Government in carrying out the audit so that the people of the hills and the country may know how the fund has been utilized and who are the beneficiaries.It is important.Mr.Gurung is a politician,and swears he believes in democracy.If democracy is his chosen path,he is supposed to be accountable to the people of the hills and of the country.He must prove how much he is accountable,and be subject to public scrutiny.

At the same time, he should not go against the democratic process his party and others have initiated with the participation in the dialogue with the State Government which is encouraged by the Union Government.It’s strange,he and his close associate Mr. Roshan Giri have abstained from the talks. It’s, perhaps, unwise to believe that Gorkhaland is going to be a reality given ,inter alia,the strategic location of the hills vis-a-vis the visible territorial ambition of one of our neighbours.

If Mr. Gurung and his coterie choose to isolate themselves from the democratic process,they may invite their possible doom.The campaigns for Gorkhaland since 1980s has caused great harm to the international reputation of the hills as an education hub, best quality tea producer and tourist destination.The ecology of the hills also declined severely during the period. Sanity should rule,not stirred emotion, for the revival of the economy and sustainable development of the area.