DARJEELING, 4 APRIL: The once preponderant party of the Darjeeling Hills, the Gorkha National Liberation Front, is set to observe its foundation day tomorrow across the Hills and the party activists are likely to launch renewed campaign in support of including the Hills within the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. However, inter-party clashes cannot be ruled out as, according to Subash Ghising’s followers, the GJMM activists are tearing off the GNLF flags in order to intimidate them.
“Our party flags have been torn off at several places and we are sure the GJMM activists are doing this to intimidate us. Such incidents have happened at Rock Garden and Dali in Darjeeling but we are determined to go ahead with the foundation day programme at any cost,” said a GNLF activist Mr Basant Subba. He said the party chief, Subash Ghising, has asked them to carry on with the programme regardless of everything. “We know the GJMM would pull all stops to obstruct it. But we are prepared to take the challenge head on,” he said.
Another party activist said the thrust of the foundation day programme would remain trained on reaching out to the people with the message that the inclusion of the Hills in the Sixth Schedule is the only option left with the GTA setup floundering. “We are invincibly opposed to the GTA, as it is a mockery of the Constitution-guaranteed power enshrined in the Sixth Schedule,” he said. When asked to comment on the GNLF allegation that the GJMM cadres are tearing off GNLF flags, the GJMM general secretary Binay Tamang said his party was least interested in the GNLF. “The common people have decisively rejected the party and its Sixth Schedule panacea,” he said.
“Our party flags have been torn off at several places and we are sure the GJMM activists are doing this to intimidate us. Such incidents have happened at Rock Garden and Dali in Darjeeling but we are determined to go ahead with the foundation day programme at any cost,” said a GNLF activist Mr Basant Subba. He said the party chief, Subash Ghising, has asked them to carry on with the programme regardless of everything. “We know the GJMM would pull all stops to obstruct it. But we are prepared to take the challenge head on,” he said.
Another party activist said the thrust of the foundation day programme would remain trained on reaching out to the people with the message that the inclusion of the Hills in the Sixth Schedule is the only option left with the GTA setup floundering. “We are invincibly opposed to the GTA, as it is a mockery of the Constitution-guaranteed power enshrined in the Sixth Schedule,” he said. When asked to comment on the GNLF allegation that the GJMM cadres are tearing off GNLF flags, the GJMM general secretary Binay Tamang said his party was least interested in the GNLF. “The common people have decisively rejected the party and its Sixth Schedule panacea,” he said.
GJMM-GNLF face-off likely today
Tension is likely at Gaaridhura tomorrow as the GJMM and the GNLF are both going to hold programmes in the town. The supporters of the GNLF are going to observe their party's foundation day tomorrow. The GJMM, after failing to obtain police permission to hold its proposed youth meeting at Gaaridhura, is organising a five-day puja there, instead.
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