+flag.jpg "Hill party espouses Sikkim-Darjeeling merger cause")
The Gorkha Rastriya Congress (GRC) is contesting the Lok Sabha election
not out of greed for the seat, but to highlight the
Sikkim-Darjeeling merger issue and garner support by way of a referendum
on the same, party leaders said here today.
The GRC general secretary, Mr Subodh Pakhrin, said the party would
make the issue of the unification of Sikkim and Darjeeling Hills its sole campaign plank.
The GRC has already announced that its president, Mr Nima Lama would contest the Darjeeling constituency in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on behalf of the party.
According to Mr Pakhrin, Darjeeling is a “lost territory of Sikkim and that it was never a part of Bengal.”
“As such, we are trying to mend the wrongs wrought by the freaks of history. The Darjeeling Hills must be returned to their rightful owners," he said.
Mr Pakhrin said the national leadership has assured to positively consider their demand. "What we are demanding does in no way smack of separatism," he added.
“Truth is often a bitter pill to swallow, but truth always triumphs in the end. Our support-base is deepening. We need people's solid support and we are sure we would get it," he said.
The GRC leadership, meanwhile, said they have met leaders from Sikkim and Darjeeling several times, while presently they are taking the matter up with the intellectuals to further the cause.(SNS)
The GRC general secretary, Mr Subodh Pakhrin, said the party would
make the issue of the unification of Sikkim and Darjeeling Hills its sole campaign plank.
The GRC has already announced that its president, Mr Nima Lama would contest the Darjeeling constituency in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on behalf of the party.
According to Mr Pakhrin, Darjeeling is a “lost territory of Sikkim and that it was never a part of Bengal.”
“As such, we are trying to mend the wrongs wrought by the freaks of history. The Darjeeling Hills must be returned to their rightful owners," he said.
Mr Pakhrin said the national leadership has assured to positively consider their demand. "What we are demanding does in no way smack of separatism," he added.
“Truth is often a bitter pill to swallow, but truth always triumphs in the end. Our support-base is deepening. We need people's solid support and we are sure we would get it," he said.
The GRC leadership, meanwhile, said they have met leaders from Sikkim and Darjeeling several times, while presently they are taking the matter up with the intellectuals to further the cause.(SNS)