Rebel ABAVP leaders hold meeting with Gurung

4 December 2011

statesman news service 
SILIGURI, 4 DEC: Despite being cautioned by  the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad (ABAVP) state leadership, rebel leaders, Mr John Barla and Mr Sukra Munda, today held a meeting with Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha president, Mr Bimal Gurung, at Kumai in Kalimpong sub-division.
Mr Gurung and party secretary, Mr Roshan Giri and two ABAVP leaders and their followers adopted a resolution that they would start a joint campaign in the Dooars in favour of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) and they would explain the importance about formation of the Gorkhaland and Adivasi Territorial Administration (GATA) among the people.
The GJMM media secretary, Mr Harka Bahadur Chhetri, said: “The GJMM and ABAVP would jointly organise programmes in the Dooars. The objective is to explain the importance of the GATA to the people of the Dooars.” “Adivasi and Gorkha people would organise two joint programmes on 6 and 10 December in the 
Dooars. The venue is yet to be decided,” Mr Chhetri said. 
Commenting on the development, the ABAVP state president, Mr Birsa Tirkey, said: “I have heard that the tea workers’ unions backed by the GJMM and the ABAVP would organise joint programme in favour of the GATA. The ABAVP-backed Progressive Tea Workers’ Union does not have right to organise such political programmes.” 
“Mr Sukra Munda, selected chairman of the PTWU, cannot make any agreement with any political party or any general association out of the jurisdiction of the tea plantation,” he said.
It may be noted that five rebel ABAVP leaders were showcaused for signing a pact with the GJMM with a view to forming the GATA and transferring lands from the Dooars to the GTA.
Out of five, two of them have been acquitted in the ABAVP’s state committee meeting held in Kolkata on 26 November.
The ABAVP executive committee members will determine the fate of the three rebel leaders Mr John Barla, Terai Dooars regional president, Mr Tejkumar Toppo, general secretary and Sukra Munda, PTWU chairman. Mr Barla was stripped of his power. According to Mr Tirkey, the executive committee members would furnish their opinion on the rebel leaders at a meeting to be held in Kolkata on 15 December. The final decision would be taken on 17 December.