GTA IS A BETRAYAL OF GORKHA ASPIRATIONS, SAY GORKHAS OF DELHI

 The Gorkhaland Task Force held a protest sit-in at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on the first anniversary of the signing of the GTA agreement on July 18. Dismissing the GTA as the greatest obstacle to the formation of a separate state for the Gorkhas of India, speakers at the black-band event also renewed their commitment to Gorkhaland.

 

GOTAFO General Secretary Munish Tamang pointed out how the GTA was the result of the Government’s belitting attitude towards the genuine demand of the Gorkhas for a separate state that would underline their national identity. “The GTA Act accords no reservations for the SC, ST and women in the GTA Sabha, which defies constitutional convention that reserves such seats in all electoral bodies in India. This only proves the GTA has no legs to stand on if put under constitutional scrutiny,” he said. He added, “The GTA elections are being conducted by the Hill Affairs department and District Magistrate. The GTA, therefore, is only a minor body that does not warrant the West Bengal Electoral Office conducting the polls. It is even less than the panchayats.”

 

Wearing black bands on their arms, speaker after speaker categorized the culmination of the Gorkhaland movement run by the GJM in the GTA as a betrayal of Gorkha aspirations. “Thankfully, the traitors have been exposed in time and we can now continue with our struggle for a separate state,” said Uttam Chhettri, president of the Delhi Unit of the CPRM.

 

Other speakers included eminent Supreme Court advocate P Niroop, Joel Rai from the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh,  Kiran BK of the Haryana CPRM, Raja Rai of the Gorkha Shahid Sewa Samiti, Andrew Gurung of the GSSS and Samir Pradhan of the Gorkha Democratic Front.