<p> Intelligence agencies suspect that the agitation for Gorkhaland is gathering force due to support from external sources, possibly China.<br /><br /></p>.<p>According to a recent report submitted to the state government, the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) might be getting help from China to continue its agitation. <br /><br />Intelligence reports state that China, which has a substantial presence in the North East, has been helping the Gorkhaland movement with not just money but also training in arms and subversive tactics, including how to orchestrate and spread chaos through arson and rioting. <br /><br />These assertions were made in a report recently submitted to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The chief minister received a compilation of more than three reports in which a number of agencies, reportedly even military intelligence, have warned the government of China’s designs in the region. <br /><br />“China wants to create disturbance in the area to keep India on its toes. It has already realised that there are quite a few chinks in India’s armour, particularly in the North East and wants to make the best of it. A situation of internal strife like the Gorkhaland movement is perfect opportunity for an adversary to develop contacts and set up sleeper cells,” one of the reports is said to have pointed out. <br /><br />According to sources in Indian Army’s Eastern Command, on August 19, a team from the defence ministry met senior army officers in charge of the Sino-Indian border and asked them to review the situation. The matter came to light after a satellite phone, brought by the Sikkim government in 2003 but went missing in 2007. The missing phone was traced to a small hamlet near Lebong in the outskirts of Darjeeling, a few days before the Gorkhaland agitation started with renewed zeal. <br /><br />Sources said intelligence agencies were not willing to believe in coincidences and are keeping a close eye on the ground situation. Reports available with the state government state that a handful of pro-Gorkhaland activists crossed over to Nepal a few months ago. <br /><br />“We have identified some of them and put them under surveillance,” a senior official said. Besides monitoring the activities of suspected Chinese informers, agencies are also looking at a couple of monasteries in Darjeeling and Sikkim that were earlier identified as hotbed of Chinese espionage activities. </p>
<p> Intelligence agencies suspect that the agitation for Gorkhaland is gathering force due to support from external sources, possibly China.<br /><br /></p>.<p>According to a recent report submitted to the state government, the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) might be getting help from China to continue its agitation. <br /><br />Intelligence reports state that China, which has a substantial presence in the North East, has been helping the Gorkhaland movement with not just money but also training in arms and subversive tactics, including how to orchestrate and spread chaos through arson and rioting. <br /><br />These assertions were made in a report recently submitted to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The chief minister received a compilation of more than three reports in which a number of agencies, reportedly even military intelligence, have warned the government of China’s designs in the region. <br /><br />“China wants to create disturbance in the area to keep India on its toes. It has already realised that there are quite a few chinks in India’s armour, particularly in the North East and wants to make the best of it. A situation of internal strife like the Gorkhaland movement is perfect opportunity for an adversary to develop contacts and set up sleeper cells,” one of the reports is said to have pointed out. <br /><br />According to sources in Indian Army’s Eastern Command, on August 19, a team from the defence ministry met senior army officers in charge of the Sino-Indian border and asked them to review the situation. The matter came to light after a satellite phone, brought by the Sikkim government in 2003 but went missing in 2007. The missing phone was traced to a small hamlet near Lebong in the outskirts of Darjeeling, a few days before the Gorkhaland agitation started with renewed zeal. <br /><br />Sources said intelligence agencies were not willing to believe in coincidences and are keeping a close eye on the ground situation. Reports available with the state government state that a handful of pro-Gorkhaland activists crossed over to Nepal a few months ago. <br /><br />“We have identified some of them and put them under surveillance,” a senior official said. Besides monitoring the activities of suspected Chinese informers, agencies are also looking at a couple of monasteries in Darjeeling and Sikkim that were earlier identified as hotbed of Chinese espionage activities. </p>
