The Gorkha Janmukti Vidyarthi Morcha today conducted a rally in Kalimpong appealing to residents of Sikkim to support the cause of separate statehood.
The rally saw the participation of around 300 students from several schools and colleges in town. It started from Damber Chowk at 9am and headed towards Sikkim. The participants were addressed by GJM leaders such as Col (Retd) Ramesh Allay, Binay Sundas and student leader Deep Thapa.
The police and administration were prepared for any untoward incident and tried to block the rally at 8 Mile. The rally participants were informed they did not have any permission to conduct such demonstrations, and a police including CRPF personnel stalled their progress for an hour.
However, after a long discussion between police officials and Vidyarthi Morcha leaders, the rally was allowed to proceed but was again obstructed at 3 Mile by CRPF jawans stationed there. The jawans refused to let the rally proceed further but offered to transport the participants on vehicles up to Ramphu.
Meanwhile, the Kirney unit of the Vidyarthi Morcha also staged a demonstration demanding the rally be allowed to move towards Sikkim. The rally eventually entered Ramphu around 4:30 pm. Deep Thapa informed the group would halt overnight in Ramphu and a delegation would head for Gangtok in the morning to meet chief minister Pawan Chamling and other leaders of the ruling front.
The rally saw the participation of around 300 students from several schools and colleges in town. It started from Damber Chowk at 9am and headed towards Sikkim. The participants were addressed by GJM leaders such as Col (Retd) Ramesh Allay, Binay Sundas and student leader Deep Thapa.
The police and administration were prepared for any untoward incident and tried to block the rally at 8 Mile. The rally participants were informed they did not have any permission to conduct such demonstrations, and a police including CRPF personnel stalled their progress for an hour.
However, after a long discussion between police officials and Vidyarthi Morcha leaders, the rally was allowed to proceed but was again obstructed at 3 Mile by CRPF jawans stationed there. The jawans refused to let the rally proceed further but offered to transport the participants on vehicles up to Ramphu.
Meanwhile, the Kirney unit of the Vidyarthi Morcha also staged a demonstration demanding the rally be allowed to move towards Sikkim. The rally eventually entered Ramphu around 4:30 pm. Deep Thapa informed the group would halt overnight in Ramphu and a delegation would head for Gangtok in the morning to meet chief minister Pawan Chamling and other leaders of the ruling front.
GJM unit expresses solidarity to ongoing agitation
The ongoing Gorkhaland movement in the Darjeeling Hills appears to have found support in Sikkim. Prompted by the indefinite strike and demonstration across Darjeeling to pressurise the state and the central governments, members of the Sikkim unit of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha have begun a relay hunger strike outside the East District Collector’s Office in Gangtok from Thursday.
A total of 12 GJM activists including members of frontal organisations such as the Janmukti Chalak Mahasangh are participating in the relay hunger strike. The first phase of the agitation will end with a peace rally on August 14.
GJM Sikkim unit vice-president Deependra Dewan said the hunger strike was the Morcha’s move to take the statehood agitation to a pan-Indian level.
“Since the Sikkim government has already passed a resolution in the assembly in support of Gorkhaland, we expect similar support from the Sikkimese people,” he said. (EOIC)
A total of 12 GJM activists including members of frontal organisations such as the Janmukti Chalak Mahasangh are participating in the relay hunger strike. The first phase of the agitation will end with a peace rally on August 14.
GJM Sikkim unit vice-president Deependra Dewan said the hunger strike was the Morcha’s move to take the statehood agitation to a pan-Indian level.
“Since the Sikkim government has already passed a resolution in the assembly in support of Gorkhaland, we expect similar support from the Sikkimese people,” he said. (EOIC)
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