Jobs promised for martyr kin

Darjeeling/VIVEK CHHETRI July 27: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today promised to ensure jobs for the next of kin of all those who had died during the agitation for a separate state in the 1980s and vowed to fulfil the wish of the “martyrs” — that is to achieve Gorkhaland.

Observing the “martyr’s day” across the hills today, the Morcha alleged that the families of 1,200 people who had lost their lives during the strife had been ill-treated by the previous political dispensation.

“I do not think that all of you have got jobs even in the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council. I request you to submit your bio-data to our party offices in the next two-four days and we will see that at least one member of the family gets a proper job,” said Morcha president Bimal Gurung while felicitating the martyrs’ family members at the Darjeeling Gymkhana Club.

Gurung hinted that the party would scrutinise the families of the present DGHC workers and would check if it was possible to give employment to the martyrs’ kin in the council.

“Many families with political affiliation (read GNLF) have bagged jobs for around six members each. This happened when many of the 1,200 martyrs’ families do not have any job. Injustice has been meted out to them and this has to be rectified,” said Gurung.

Even though the Morcha has signed an agreement for the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), the hill leader told the gathering that one should always respect the “wishes of the martyrs”. “We must never forget that their wish is for a separate state of Gorkhaland and their souls will not rest until then. We will not forget the contributions made by your family members.”

About the families of six Morcha supporters who had died since the party started its agitation in 2007, Gurung said they had already been given Rs 3 lakh each. “We will also provide them with government jobs and licence for an LPG cylinder agency. The family members will also get jobs in the GTA,” said Gurung.

While Gurung iterated his commitment to Gorkhaland, the CPRM lambasted the Morcha for having let the martyrs’ contribution go to waste by agreeing to the GTA.

The CPRM organised a blood donation camp in Kalimpong today to observe the martyrs’ day. “The blood camp is a symbolic move to remind the people that the martyr’s blood has gone to waste by signing the GTA agreement. Our party will fulfill the martyrs’ dreams and respect their sacrifice,” said J.B. Rai, the vice-president of the the CPRM.

‘Martyr’s day’ is observed by all political parties in the hills to commemorate the firing in Kalimpong on this day in 1986. 

~TT