The GJM-led Gorkhaland Territorial Administration(GTA) today announced it would henceforth officially observe July 27every year as Sahid Diwas in honour of hundreds of people who died during the two-phased agitation for a separate state. The move comes in the backdrop of the GTA adopting a resolution on July 13 to observe July 27 as Sahid Diwas or Martyrs’ Day officially.
Briefing the media at the Gorkha Ranga Manch in Darjeeling today, GTA elected member and information and cultural affairs department in-charge Binay Tamang said, “We feel the people who laid down their lives for the separate statehood demand have not been given due respect and honour. Under such a circumstance, we have decided that July 27 would be officially observed as Sahid Diwas henceforth.”
It may be noted the day is also observed as Sahid Diwas by the rival Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) to mark the killing of 13 people in a firing incident in Kalimpong in 1986, which also marked the start of the bloody agitation that claimed 1,200 more lives during its course.
A hurried truce was brokered and the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council was formed in 1988, but the DGHC never officially observed Sahid Diwas and it was left for the GNLF to organise programmes on July 27.
Meanwhile, during the GJM-led agitation from 2007 to 2011, five people were killed in separate incidents. All the same, the GTA has decided not to make any exceptions. “We will remember and honour the Sahids from 1986 as well as 2007-2011 as they all died for the cause of a separate state. We want to honour the martyrs officially and on that day, all GTA offices will remain closed,” informed Tamang.
However, he declined to go answer queries such as how the new council, which is also part of government, would observe July 27 as Sahid Diwas given the many technicalities involved. “We have already started a survey to find out the conditions of the next of kin of the martyrs. Where necessary, we will provide jobs and financial support to such families as this was not done by the erstwhile administration,” said Tamang.
A four-member Sahid Diwas committee has also been formed to coordinate with the information and cultural affairs department to oversee the event.
The official programme will be organised at Gorkha Ranga Manch in Darjeeling, Eagle’s Craig in Kurseong, Sahid Park in Kalimpong and Krishnanagar in Mirik, while the GJM will hold political programmes across various places in the Hills. “We have already invited the families of the martyrs residing in different places of the Hills. We will felicitate them and honour the sacrifice they have made,” said Tamang.
Meanwhile, the GNLF party today said it would also observe Sahid Diwas on July 27 to remember those who laid down their
lives in the 1986 movement for statehood.(EOI)
Briefing the media at the Gorkha Ranga Manch in Darjeeling today, GTA elected member and information and cultural affairs department in-charge Binay Tamang said, “We feel the people who laid down their lives for the separate statehood demand have not been given due respect and honour. Under such a circumstance, we have decided that July 27 would be officially observed as Sahid Diwas henceforth.”
It may be noted the day is also observed as Sahid Diwas by the rival Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) to mark the killing of 13 people in a firing incident in Kalimpong in 1986, which also marked the start of the bloody agitation that claimed 1,200 more lives during its course.
A hurried truce was brokered and the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council was formed in 1988, but the DGHC never officially observed Sahid Diwas and it was left for the GNLF to organise programmes on July 27.
Meanwhile, during the GJM-led agitation from 2007 to 2011, five people were killed in separate incidents. All the same, the GTA has decided not to make any exceptions. “We will remember and honour the Sahids from 1986 as well as 2007-2011 as they all died for the cause of a separate state. We want to honour the martyrs officially and on that day, all GTA offices will remain closed,” informed Tamang.
However, he declined to go answer queries such as how the new council, which is also part of government, would observe July 27 as Sahid Diwas given the many technicalities involved. “We have already started a survey to find out the conditions of the next of kin of the martyrs. Where necessary, we will provide jobs and financial support to such families as this was not done by the erstwhile administration,” said Tamang.
A four-member Sahid Diwas committee has also been formed to coordinate with the information and cultural affairs department to oversee the event.
The official programme will be organised at Gorkha Ranga Manch in Darjeeling, Eagle’s Craig in Kurseong, Sahid Park in Kalimpong and Krishnanagar in Mirik, while the GJM will hold political programmes across various places in the Hills. “We have already invited the families of the martyrs residing in different places of the Hills. We will felicitate them and honour the sacrifice they have made,” said Tamang.
Meanwhile, the GNLF party today said it would also observe Sahid Diwas on July 27 to remember those who laid down their
lives in the 1986 movement for statehood.(EOI)
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