BUT WHO ULTIMATELY IS THE LOSER???

Of the scores of essays I have read on this subject, the one written by Ted Gurr, titled    “People Verses States, Minorities at risk in the New Century,” stands out as an exceptional piece of writing, not just from the view point of the meticulous research put in it but more so for his extremely rational thinking and prospective.

 Of course the essay is pretty exhaustive and packed with data and analysis which a casual reader may find too heavy to digest but one point that he makes in this presentation is that “Economic inequality is one of the prime reasons for any separatist movement, the world over.” He observes that Groups which are subjected to economical discrimination or deprivation are more likely to launch a movement for separation from the parent state, than groups which enjoy economical parity.

His observations hold much truth in the cause of the Gorkha community’s quest to separate from Bengal. Years of neglect and economic disparity has led the situation to be what it is today. The crumbling tourist infrastructure, the deplorable condition of our roads, the failing Health Care System, the tight water situation are enough proof of the economic neglect and apathy that the successive State Governments have dished out to the Darjeeling Hills. The resentment of the residents of the Darjeeling Hills was manifested by the two agitations, one led by Mrs. Subhas Ghesing and the current under the leadership of Mr. Bimal Gurung, that succeeded in a partial way to loosen the purse strings that the State and Central Government were holding on to ever so tightly. Whether or not the two agitations actually managed to provide any solace to the masses is matter for debate but what is without any iota of doubt is that fact that in the last 25 years since Subhas Ghesing launched the first Gorkhaland movement in 1986, the inflow of Government funding into the Darjeeling Area has increased to what it was pre 1986.

With the hundreds of crores in Indian Currency that were pumped into the Darjeeling District, the economic expectations of the people of the Darjeeling Hills too increased. The economic health seemed to be on the rise- the Tourism Industry finally looked to revive itself, so did the Tea Industry. The Tourist started to flock back into the Queen of Hills even if just to be confronted a Darjeeling which was just a mere shadow of its glorious past. But yes, overall the scenario was getting better. Hopes of the long deprived people of the Darjeeling Hills was being revived and dreams of better days flashed in the minds of the Hills residents.  

    

But dreams are just that- dreams…. especially if the dream maker are as inapt as like ours. They led us to believe that the next dream would be the most beautiful we have ever seen but when the eyes closed and the dreams started, its no better than the trailer of a ‘C’ grade Bollywood sizzler. It always started with David taking on Goliath- daring him, defying him, challenging him and mocking him but the dream inevitably ended each time with David making a meek surrender and with David not making good any of his earlier bravado.

All the dreams did was that the public lost valuable man hours and the economy of the Hills took a further beating. By making the Dooars the latest issue and an area of conflict, another tourist season has taken a beating. The tourism industries dream of finally doing some good business this season ended up in flames – literally like the houses and cars in Bagrakote. Booking in hotels and resorts across the Hills saw en-mass cancellations while those tourist who were already enjoying their holidays here, had to make a sudden dash for Siliguri due to the flash Highway strikes called by the GJMM and its supporting parties in the Dooars and Terai. Our leadership somehow behaves a bit like Kalidas-chopping off the very branch atop which they have poised his bottom-most asset-          we cannot afford to kill the golden goose which in our case is Tourism. By resorting to wild cat strikes we are doing more harm than good in the long run. Separate State or not, we still will require Tourism to help sustain the Hill economy. The Hills can ill afford to continue bleeding its main source of economy and yet hope to continue existing especially since now even GTA is looking like a dream gone bad.

The Hills can ill afford any further disruptions, especially during tourist seasons. The once bustling hill economy cannot further withstand the economical blow that Bandhas tend to deliver. The recent blockading of the National Highways by Bandh supporters delivered a crippling blow to the hospitality industry in the Hills. Tourists who had once again started flocking the Darjeeling Hills sped back to the safe confines of their hotel rooms in Siliguri preferring to spend the rest of their holidays there rather than risk being stranded. The bottom line is- who ultimately ends up on their bare backs, looking the joker in the eyes of the world- We-!!!

Our loss is Siliguri’s gain- their hotels run chock-a block, their restaurants are packed all day, their transporters laugh their way to the bank- while we in the Hills can do nothing but wait another season. Why just the Tourism Industry, the day is not far when Siliguri will even our Education Industry. With dozens of Premier Schools now being opened in Siliguri, the day is not too far off when outstation students would prefer to go to the Schools of Siliguri rather than venturing into the uncertain conditions in the Hills. This trend has already started and is growing in an alarming rate. Earlier, students from the Dooars and the North Bengal region formed a large chunk of outstation students community in the Darjeeling Hills. This is not the case any more. They prefer to remain in the safer and more stable conditions of the Siliguri Schools rather than climbing up to the Hills. If the Political instability continues, the Education Industry which provided economic solace to thousands to people in the Hills will soon start facing problems.

The fact is that the GJM leadership has once again been charmed into a hole. The earlier Left Front Government bullied and pushed the GJM into a corner and forced it into accepting the GTA while the present TMC Government courted the GJM leadership like a lover would but ultimately charmed and cajoled them into the same hole that the Left Front government had dug. The strategy of both the LF and TMC government are the same-not allowing the GJM even a toe hold in the Dooars. The earlier Buddhadev Bhattacharya led government precipitated Sibchu, the current Mamta Banerjee led government created Babrakotte. Only the names have changed though the motive has been the same. The strategy of the State Government, both past and present, remain the same. Not allowing the GJM and its allies to hold even a simple public meeting in the Dooars smacks of double standards on the part of the administration. Yet the GJM leadership swears by Mamtas mamta for the Hills.  I just hope that the GJM leadership realizes that their credibility and their “izzat” is our “izzat” and each time they back off or loss credibility-the entire Hills become the laughing stock.

Frankly, despite what may be politically correct to say, the fact is that the State Government by no means will concede to the GJM demand for the inclusion of 199 mouzas each of Dooars and Terai. Justice Shymal Sen, may or may not table his reports in June, but whenever he does, it is sure to set either the Hills or Dooars on fire. The leadership of both the camps appear to stand rigid on their ‘Hum eek inch nahi chorenge” rhetoric hence a stand off is but expected whenever the good Justice tables his report.

It is high time now that the leadership of both sides of the political divide exhibit some statesman like quality which will go a long way in lifting this part of the world from the social, political and financial doldrums it presently is in. The mainland of Bengal does not care a dime whether or not our Tourism Industry survives or our Education Industry sustains itself. In fact they probably would be happy if it does not for the simple fact that if tourism fails here Digha and the few other places of tourist interest in mainland Bengal gains. Likewise if the Education Industry in the Hills takes a hit, Schools and Higher Education Institutes in places like Siliguri and Durgapur stand to gain. After all everyone needs a holiday and everyone needs an education. The fact is that the sights we provide for the tourists or the education we provide for the students are indispensable. If the Darjeeling Hills cannot provide its guest a safe and relaxed holiday or if it cannot give its students the requisite environment to students, then they will move on..

So, who ultimately loses????