Darjeeling, February 1, 2013

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) president Bimal Gurung on January 30 asked the people to get ready for the ‘second agitation’ for Gorkhaland as his party is would be announcing new steps on March 10 at Sukna.

Gurung’s fresh salvo comes after he believed that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee challenged the Morcha in her speech on January 29 here at Chowrashta maintaining Darjeeling is a part of West Bengal.

“We had told North Bengal development minister Gautam Deb that the Chief Minister should not speak on the issue of Gorkhaland that day. However, she did just that and her speech at Chowrashta was like she was challenging us. People should now get ready for the second agitation and we will announce our programmes from Sukna on March 10, said the GJM president in a public speech at Bijanbari.

Gurung maintained that the new agitation would not be a democratic one as violent retaliation from the government is inevitable. “As soon as we start the agitation, it is likely the government will try to suppress our agitation by deploying police force here besides staring the old pending police cases against the party leaders. But we are not afraid and not concerned for our lives as we have come here only to fight for Gorkhaland”, he said.

Gurung said the Morcha accepted the GTA for peace in Darjeeling hills which is being disturbed by the West Bengal government. The Chief Minister threatened us that developmental works may be hampered but the Bengal government should remember how much revenue is generated from this area, he said.

“We showed respect to the Chief Minister but we did not get anything. We had thought the new government would bring change but it turned out that it is as same as the previous government”, said the GJM president. He also commented on the Chief Minister’s meeting with the Lepcha community at Algarah in Kalimpong on January 30.

“We have heard that the Chief Minister had a meeting with the Lepcha community. She now is playing on the cards of divide and rule,” said the GJM president.

Courtesy: Sikkim Express

 

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