GJAC to reopen educational institutes in principle

The Gorkhaland Joint Action Committee(GJAC), which is presently spearheading the statehood movement, has in principle agreed to allow schools and colleges to reopen apparently due to immense pressure from member constituents.

The decision was taken this evening after three hours of deliberation. The meeting had a single point agenda: when and how to reopen schools and colleges, closed for over a month since the start of the renewed agitation.

Addressing media persons at the GJM party office in Singamari, GJAC chairman Enos Das Pradhan said, “We had a one-point agenda to discuss today, of when to reopen the educational institutes. After much deliberation we came to the decision that we will in principle allow schools and colleges to reopen.”

Meanwhile, the GJM today convened a public meeting with the Janmukti Secondary Teachers’ Organisation (JSTO) and Gorkha Janmukti Vdihyarthi Morcha (GJVM), two of its frontal affiliates. Heads of schools and colleges too were invited to participate. GJM president Bimal Gurung gave indications that educational institutes would be allowed to reopen soon.

“We are very concerned about the future of the students. We are in constant touch with the guardians, students and social organisations who have been giving us their feedbacks, hence our decision,” said Pradhan.

On questions about the constraints the joint action committee was facing so as to refrain from announcing the exact date for reopening educational institutes, Pradhan replied, “Yes, we do have some constraints. There is an ongoing agitation for a separate state. If we allow schools and colleges to reopen, issues like allowing markets, vehicular services and offices to open also need to be addressed. For this, we require some time.”

At the same time, the GJAC chairman did hint the reopening date would be only after September 5.

“We cannot go on closing school and colleges. But under the present circumstances, we feel we can give a date only after September 5,” said Pradhan.

The GJM president also appealed to institutes’ heads to ensure the statehood demand is made part of the morning assembly routine.

“Students must be aware of and understand the relevance of our demand as their future too depends on it. Heads of schools must incorporate the statehood issue in the morning assembly,” said Gurung.

The GJM president then trained his guns on the central government accusing it of failing to fulfill its promise.

“Our fight is not with Bengal but with the central government. When we signed the GTA agreement, the centre had said it did not have the mandate to give Gorkhaland. We accepted the GTA on temporary basis without dropping the statehood demand. But within one year of signing the agreement, the central government announced its approval for a Telangana state,” said

Gurung, adding he has asked the party’s central committee and frontal organisation members not to settle for anything less than a Gorkhaland state.

Meanwhile, the Darjeeling-based All India Lepcha Association (AILA) today began a hunger strike to protest the state government’s alleged divisive policies and atrocities.(EOI)