“Mato la khun mangdaicha (the land is seeking blood),” the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief told a public meeting at Chowrastha. Sources in the party, however, said the Morcha president’s speech was more of an emotive outburst, given his frustration with the Centre and the state. The party decision on a non-violent agitation has not changed, the sources said.
“Our party president has repeatedly been stressing on the need for a non-violent agitation and I, personally, see his speech as an emotive outburst,” said a leader who was present at the meeting today. Gurung, too, said the party’s decision to go for a non-violent agitation “has been a good decision”.
The Morcha chief also suggested that he might go underground when he said the time had come to “speak with the birds and animals in the jungle”. But party leaders said their chief had spoken on these lines since the start of the Gorkhaland agitation in 2007. “He is a very emotional man and he has often said he would perhaps go into the jungle one day. I think today’s speech was laced with emotion. This thought (of going to the jungle) must be at the back of his mind. I do not think he will take to such a step at the moment,” a Morcha leader said.
Gurung said the “time has come for a do-and-die movement” and if he died “another Bimal Gurung must be born to lead the agitation”. But he added immediately: “There is, however, a limit to everything.”
Clad in the traditional Nepali attire, Gurung said: “Since the Centre and the state government are not respecting our democratic movement, the land is seeking blood. The youths and members of the Nari Morcha must now be ready to shed blood for the cause of Gorkhaland.”
Gurung’s frustration at the Centre’s delay in calling a tripartite meeting also showed.
“We suspended the agitation largely because of the Union home minister’s assurance to call a tripartite meeting. It is the Centre’s responsibility to call the meeting. We, will, however not sit for a (bipartite) meeting with state government,” he said.
The Morcha chief warned of an intensified agitation after October 20.
“I hear government employees are getting salaries for only six days. If we want Gorkhaland we must not be dependent on the government and we must now get ready for an agitation in which employees will neither go to work, nor get their salaries for three months. Let there be no work and no pay too. If the government wants to spray bullets, we are ready to take it on our chest,” he said.
Gurung also urged educational institutions not to think of commercial gain only but also the land (the statehood demand).
“You (state government) have put your hand on fire and you must also be ready to face the consequences that will not be good…. I will also not be spared. But even if I am killed, another Bimal Gurung must be born to lead the agitation…. Gorkhaland must not be sold.”
