MADAN TAMANG

Let us shed tears for the lone warrior killed in battle

Jigme N Kazi

I never got to meet him and was terribly shocked to learn of his death through a friend. It was a terrible mistake, a shameful act, and the hill people will suffer from the absence of the lone and uncompromising voice that always spoke the truth – fearlessly.

When the dust settles down and emotions die with the passage of time what really matters in the long run is that the Gorkha warrior died in battle for the right cause – for freedom, democracy and Gorkhaland.

Madan Tamang was born on June 1 (less than two weeks before his 63^rd birthday), 1948 in Meghma village near Manebhanjang in Darjeeling at the Indo-Nepal border. After his schooling (St. Robert’s) and college (St. Joseph’s) – both in Darjeeling – Tamang plunged into politics and joined the All India Gorkha League in 1969. He held the post of General Secretary of the League for ten years (1972-1981) and in 2001  took over the party as its President.

Tamang quit the League in 1981 and formed his own political outfit, Pranta Parishad, whose prime objective was creation of a separate state for the Gorkhas. He left the Parishad in 1990 and formed the Gorkha Democratic Front. When the Front merged with the League in 2001 Tamang became the President of the party, a post that he held till his death.

All along his forty-year political career Tamang kept his democratic credentials intact while relentlessly, often at great personal risk, pursuing his political objectives, which mainly revolved round political and economic rights of the Gorkhas in India. His contribution towards the inclusion of Nepali/Gorkha language in the 8^th schedule of the Constitution has been widely acknowledged. The fulfillment of this demand gave the Indian Gorkhas a sense of dignity and belonging.

Tamang could have – and many feel that he should have – joined Subash Ghising in the ’80s when the Gorkhaland movement was at its peak. Many again felt that he should have joined Bimal Gurung but he did not. He had his own reasons for hacking a lonesome path. We all know that while Ghising succumbed to pressure and accepted a Council instead of Gorkhaland, Gurung is all set to settle for an interim set-up, which Tamang says is a permanent arrangement.

Most Gorkha leaders in Darjeeling hills are serious about the statehood demand. They only differ on the method of achieving this goal. Tamang and his colleagues in the party and other Opposition leaders want to adopt a more peaceful and democratic means to achieve their cherished goal.

RB Rai of the CPRM rightly pointed out when they formed the Democratic Front recently:  “We need Gorkhaland but before that we need democracy.” Hill people and their leaders need to first establish their democratic credentials before they decide to run a state. Only fools rush where angels fear to tread.

My counsel to Gorkha leaders from Darjeeling who meet me has always been this: “You people are demanding a homeland. We are almost homeless in our own homeland! Be careful of leaders who promise great things but fail to deliver.”

A few months back I spoke to Madan daju for the first time on the phone. I wanted to meet him during my next visit to Darjeeling. His immediate response was, “Are your Jigme N Kazi? When are you coming? We must meet.”

Unfortunately, the meeting did not take place and this is one of my life’s few regrets. I have spent sixteen formative years in Darjeeling and hold my head in shame that this thing should happen to such a leader.

Since May 21, 1998 me and my family members always make a point to remember my late father who passed away on this day twelve years ago. When we lit 108 butter lamps on May 21, 2010 I also prayed for the one who was slain on that day.  Madan daju will always be remembered along with my dad from now on. May his dreams live on and soul rest in peace. (Sikkim Observer, May 23-30, 2010)