An exclusive interview of ABGL president

An exclusive interview of Mr. Madan Tamang, president of ABGL, who had recently visited New Delhi to campaign against the Sixth Schedule, followed by the resolution passed in the All-Party Meeting held at Darjeeling. While, people in Darjeeling celebrate victory over Sixth Schedule status, in the meantime, Mr. Tamang is highly suspicious about the bill which might get through under any given circumstances.

DT Correspondent along with students of mass communication, St. Joseph’s College, Darjeeling, Diwaskar Chhetri, Mickma Lepcha, Ava Rai, and Preeti Pradhan, excerpts the views of Mr. Madan Tamang on recent issues of Darjeeling hills, at his resident on March 01.

DT Correspondent: Sir, the Sixth Schedule bill has been scrapped as per another source? Madan Tamang: Please do not talk based on hear-say. The Sixth Schedule bill has not been withdrawn completely. Parliament Standing Committee has sent the report mentioning that “Bill be passed but the government should know and verify the ground reality before”. The budget session is going for two more months, any time it can be passed based on a forged government report. As government representatives consist of CPI(M) and Congress candidates. 

DT Correspondent: Do you think that current political activities are heading in the right direction? Madan Tamang: I do not want to comment. How can I comment when there is no transparency in this Kolkota talk, let the result be public. DT Correspondent: Does it make any difference by the resignation of Subash Ghisingh in the political scenario of Darjeeling hills? Madan Tamang: Does it make any difference! The same story is repeated, social boycott being implemented, houses being burnt, people are scared, being threatened… 

DT Correspondent: ABGL and GJMM, they can not get along? Madan Tamang: It's not a child's play, it should get along with opinions, and mentality. They have started burning houses, social boycotts, and ultimatum being placed, these are undemocratic gestures, which I never liked of GNLF, if others follow the same thing, and I vehemently oppose it. 

DT Correspondent: You have participated in the last All-party meeting called by BJP in Darjeeling, do you see any possibility of Collective leadership? Madan Tamang: I have already told in Chowkbazaar that it is easy to wake up a sleeping person but very difficult to pretend one. 

DT Correspondent: So, we are not prepared for Collective leadership? Madan Tamang: It is not that we are prepared for, it is not being allowed. But I always insist whether they believe it or not, that’s what I can do, that’s what I foresee. This movement can not reach destiny because there is no collective leadership, this is what I always say. I was not supposed to participate in that All-party meeting but insisted by everyone on larger peoples’ interest, as hunger strikers were in critical stages and looking at people’s agitation, I had full support on resolutions adopted by the meeting, which were: to pressurize chief minister and send the delegation to Delhi immediately. 

Accordingly, I went to Delhi but the GJMM and CPRM did not honour the resolutions adopted by the All-party meeting. But I am doing my jobs in Delhi, I won’t step back till the Sixth Schedule bill is completely scraped. Jorge Fernandes has assured me strongly in this regard. I am also making a document called “Vision Statement”, which states “Gorkhas are not threat and liability to the nation, in case of a separate state, it will earn revenue for a country with its own resources”, It is a compilation of statistic and data, which I am submitting to all central leaders including Prime minister. 

DT Correspondent: How far have leaders of Central have understood the separate state for Gorkhas? Madan Tamang: The first thing is they do not know where Darjeeling is; forget about politicians even the leading media like NDTV displayed in news footnote caption recently as a strike in Darjeeling hills against the implementation of Sixth Schedule in Himachal Pradesh. We have not done anything to draw the attention of national media. We think Chowkbazaar is our world. http://www.darjeelingtimes.com/news/Interviews/An-exclusive-interview-of-ABGL-president.html