Second day of Dharna at Jantar Mantar organized by GJMM Delhi is in full flow. More than 2500 supporters have come forward from the hills and around 2500 gathered from Delhi NCR, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Dehradun, Chandigarh including the north eastern states. Leaders of GJMM Central Committee including Roshan Giri , Asha Gurung, Dawa Lama along with Sabhasads of GTA, Mr Swaraj Thapa - Senior Journalist , a supporter of Gorkhaland was also present .GJM representatives of several samasthy including Kalimpong Bong Busty, Darjeeling Town Committee, Mirik, Kurseong, Dooars, actively participated in the rally . Dharna started in the morning by supporters chanting slogans like “We want Gorkhaland” “We want justice” Many national and local channels of Delhi NCR were present to cover the event. A protest march was also held from Jantar Mantar to Parliament Street police station. The idea was to lead the protest up to Parliament complex so that the message and voice of Gorkhas reaches the legislators of Parliament but protesters were stopped midway by Delhi police personnel owing to security concerns and protocol in the capital city. However, a Rally from Rajghat to Jantar mantar is already scheduled for tomorrow and protesters are likely to march up to the premises of Parliament chanting slogans for Gorkhaland.
The idea is, if bill for Telangana is likely to be passed in the parliament in the ongoing winter session then why is government depriving a deserving Gorkha community which has served the country for its nation building with utmost faith and loyalty, a fair hearing. The demand of Gorkhaland cannot be put in cold storage by the government merely for the sake of its political convenience.
Ranjan Sharma –Genaral Secretary of Delhi GJM has said that Memorandum has been submitted today in the office of Prime Minister, Union Home Minister, President and Smt Sonia Gandhi. Ranjan says that in the Memorandum we have mentioned that Gorkha is a competent, deserving but a deprived minority community fighting in a peaceful manner for their justified demand. We have also elaborated on the fact that having only three Assembly seats in the state Assembly and one Member of Parliament in Loksabha is no criteria for keeping our statehood demand in cold storage. Nowhere in the Constitution of India or any other law of land has it been mentioned that a minority community having limited seats in the state Assembly as well as Loksabha cannot be granted statehood. The proposition of creation of small states have been tried and tested in Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Chattisgarh and other smaller states and the writing is on the wall. It makes administration easier and effective, improvement in the economic growth of the region, therefore Gorkhaland is not only a political demand but also an economically and administratively justified demand. Ranjan further says that GJM Delhi team is hopeful that something fruitful and concrete will come up from the ongoing protest by GJM in the capital city.
The idea is, if bill for Telangana is likely to be passed in the parliament in the ongoing winter session then why is government depriving a deserving Gorkha community which has served the country for its nation building with utmost faith and loyalty, a fair hearing. The demand of Gorkhaland cannot be put in cold storage by the government merely for the sake of its political convenience.
Ranjan Sharma –Genaral Secretary of Delhi GJM has said that Memorandum has been submitted today in the office of Prime Minister, Union Home Minister, President and Smt Sonia Gandhi. Ranjan says that in the Memorandum we have mentioned that Gorkha is a competent, deserving but a deprived minority community fighting in a peaceful manner for their justified demand. We have also elaborated on the fact that having only three Assembly seats in the state Assembly and one Member of Parliament in Loksabha is no criteria for keeping our statehood demand in cold storage. Nowhere in the Constitution of India or any other law of land has it been mentioned that a minority community having limited seats in the state Assembly as well as Loksabha cannot be granted statehood. The proposition of creation of small states have been tried and tested in Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Chattisgarh and other smaller states and the writing is on the wall. It makes administration easier and effective, improvement in the economic growth of the region, therefore Gorkhaland is not only a political demand but also an economically and administratively justified demand. Ranjan further says that GJM Delhi team is hopeful that something fruitful and concrete will come up from the ongoing protest by GJM in the capital city.