What has Darjeeling come to? The hills and plains,the Dooars tea gardens were known just for its scenic beauty and tranquility earlier. Now agitation is it's middle name. Politics has gained centrestage with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha fighting a territorial war against the West Bengal Government. I have been in West Bengal all these years and never been to Darjeeling for a holiday perhaps taking for granted that it is an evergreen option at hand. But things changed in recent years and 2011 February was went I embarked on my first ever trip to Darjeeling to cover the agitation post the killing of two GJM supporters in police firing in Shibchu.
Things have changed and though my only glimpse of Darjeeling was through movies shot in the picturesque surroundings of the hills, the change was evident in front of my eyes. Shutters downed thanks to an indefinite strike, not even bank ATMs open forget about my wish of biting into Keventers yummy food. The peace amidst the cold weather in the mall area took me away from the reality of the agitation in the hills, the effigy of the West Bengal Chief Minister being burnt and the police stations being gheraoed. For me as a visitor the hills are a place which is nothing but beautiful and a place I can picture as a perfect getaway. But as a Correspondent, I got a taste of what the locals in the hill feel and the way they live. The fight for justice began with raising their voices against what they believed was neglect from the State and Centre. And even as GJM supporters camp in Kumaoni in the Dooars, the foothills of Darjeeling, is there logic to their fight from justice and area domination is a question the State Government and the Centre are probably asking.
The ripples of the fight for separate Statehood of Telengana from Andhra Pradesh had its repercussion in the hills about two years ago. The Centre has more than one issue to handle and not just Darjleeing. While these are secondary issues, the primary one is why did the people of Darjeeling or Telengana start their agitation for separate Statehood in the first place? While fingers are pointing to the agitators now, why dismiss the inadequacy of the State Government's in focussing on development in these areas and nipping the problem in the bud when there were chances galore?
Why did the GJM come out in the open breaking away from the Gorkha National Liberation Front or GNLF led by Subhas Ghising? Does anybody remember the comment by a radio jockey on Indian Idol singer Prashant Tamang from the hills terming most residents as 'Chowkidar'? Sentiments were deep rooted going beyond just the statement which the term 'Sorry' could not amend. And if this comment did not reflect the impression several people have across the country of residents of the hills then what does?
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