"The situation is getting worse with each passing day. We feel that a head-on collision is just a matter of time. So we need to prepare ourselves to counter the state government democratically," GJM central committee member and former in-charge of GLP Colonel (retd) Ramesh Alley told PTI.
"We (GJM) will revive and recruit more youths in GLP our own peacekeeping force. We are not into any kind of violence nor is GLP into this. But we have to prepare ourselves," he said.
The idea of setting by GLP by recruiting youths from the hills was first mooted by Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) supremo Bimal Gurung during the Gorkhaland agitation of 2008.
Gurung had then held a meeting with former army personnel and officers from the hills and requested them to take charge of selection, recruitment and training of the youths. The outfit was first named Gorkhaland Police, but after opposition from various quarters it was renamed Gorkhaland Personnel (GLP).
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The force in 2009 enforced bandhs called by GJM, ensured that locals wear traditional Nepali attire at least thrice a week, seize and destroy liquor and provide protection to Gurung and top GJM leaders.
Paid only a paltry allowance, the GLP youths were promised to be absorbed into the police force after the creation of Gorkhaland. However, GLP took a back seat and most of its trained youths were absorbed into GJM youth wing instead following the formation of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration in 2011.
After Bimal Gurung's office and other premises of GJM were raided in this latest round of agitation, the party leadership decided to revive the force to counter the alleged police atrocities.
Alley and other GJM leaders pointed out they are not for any armed struggle as that would mean taking up arms against the Centre.
Darjeeling has been on the boil for the past ten days and and indefinite shutdown is on by GJM in support of its separate Gorkhaland demand.
Reacting to GJM's decision to revive GLP, senior TMC leader and minister Gautam Deb said " We all know that GJM is a separatist force. So it is expected that they well set up a militant organisation. But we will not allow such separatist forces to grow."