Gangtok, August 12, 2013

Around 300 members of GJM vidhyarthi Morcha from Kalimpong, Darjeeling District reached Gangtok on foot and called on the Chief Minister of Sikkim Pawan Chamling here in Samman Bhawan, Gangtok on August 11, 2013.

The team was lead by Vice President Students wing Deep Thapa and GJM Kalimpong Region Secretary Sunil Pradhan comprising of students from Schools, Colleges and Universities had come to thank the Chief Minister of Sikkim for showing solidarity towards the cause of Gorkhaland and further seek support for the ongoing Gorkhaland movement.

The Chief Minister of Sikkim while giving his best wishes to the people of Darjeeling for the movement for statehood informed that Sikkim Government has already passed Gorkhaland Resolution in the State Assembly in support of the demand of the Darjeeling people for statehood.

The people of Sikkim have blood relationship with the people of Darjeeling, the Chief Minister said and further added that the people of Sikkim have always supported the demand of separate statehood of Gorkhaland. He also said that as a Chief Minister of a State he has always been taking the issue of Gorkhaland at appropriate forum at national level and further assured to do so in future as well.

The Chief Minister while assuring his support said that the people of Darjeeling have the right to demand statehood as per the Indian Constitution. But at the same time the Chief Minister requested them to keep 31A National Highway, the only communication link for the people of Sikkim with the rest of the country, out of purview of the Bandh.

The meeting was also addressed by Deep Pradhan and said that the peace meet is a “maître sadbhawana yatra” to Sikkim for the purpose of gaining the support from the people of Sikkim on the issues of Gorkhaland.

The Chief Whip Ugen T Gyatso Bhutia, Press Advisor to the Government Bhim Dahal, Former Minister D T Lepcha and Somnath Poudyal, Former MLAs were also present during the meet.